Caught Fire
by bite-me-im-irish
Summary: 'Love is a friendship that has caught fire.' How series two should have ended and how series three should have began!
1. Doomsday?

**Okay, so as promised here is my version of Series Three with Rose, starting with Doomsday. I've had it on the old lappytop for a while now and, when I saw today that another user had uploaded a S3WR it inspired me to upload it... finally! I hope you like it. The next part should be up soon! And to any readers of 'What is, What was, What could be, What must not', I've got a new fic in the works! **

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"PULLING THEM ALL IN!" Rose cried, relief flooding through her. He had done it, made sense out of chaos and saved them all.

The Doctor's grin widened.

"PULLING THEM ALL IN!" he confirmed, with a shout. He forced a smile and let out a fake laugh. But behind this happy exterior his brain was on red alert, emotions he never let himself admit to were bubbling to the surface as he thought of what was to come. Rose didn't get it. Pulling them all in would mean pulling them _all_ in. The two of them included. The moment had arrived. After months of signs and warnings and dodging storms, he was about to lose her.

His mind was in turmoil but Rose was still smiling behind his goofy 3D glasses.

Why did he have to land here? Why now? He could have put this trip off longer, made up some excuse not to see her mother, he was usually quite good at those.

He still had so much to show her. The past, the future, and everything in between were still left to explore with her. There were planets they could be saving and creatures they could be meeting; they could be doing anything instead of this. They could be sipping Bolero on the planet Simonyi while the 3 suns flashed different colours above their heads or holding hands while looking at the crystal lake of Nusmas 7.

Why were they here? He knew this would be dangerous, he knew the risk but yet he took it. He spends his life running head-first into danger but for once he wished he had done the opposite. Taken her hand and fled to the stars never to return.

"Sorry, s-sorry – what's the void?" He was gratefully distracted from the inevitable by Mickey-the-idiot.

"The dead-space," He explained quickly, he could see realisation dawning on Rose's face. "Some people call it hell." His hearts hammered in his chest as she turned slowly to face him. The glasses covered her eyes but he could see a frown on her face.

"So," Mickey said with a smile, "You're sending the Daleks and Cybermen to hell?" The Doctor nodded, his eyes not leaving Rose. Mickey, true to his name, remained oblivious to what was happening, "Man, I told you he was good."

Rose looked at Mickey while he spoke, the red and green specks hopping around him as he placed the medallion around his neck. Jake turned his head to smile at his friend and she noted the specks dancing dangerously around his head. Out of the corner of her eye she caught Pete switching the weight onto his other foot, the radiation swayed with him. Contaminated. They were all contaminated.

"But it's like you said," She turned her gaze to the Doctor. He was edging closer to her and her heart sank, he had the most specks of all. She wanted to reach out and hit them away. "We've all got void stuff, me too because we've been to that parallel world." Looking down at her own hands she watched it swish between her fingers.

The Doctor stood in front of her now, the void stuff tainting his handsome features. Reaching up she whipped the glasses from her eyes. Those damned specks were mocking her, dancing with eachother as they destroyed everything she held dear.

"We're all contaminated, we'll get pulled in." She explained this to the Doctor as calmly as she could, waiting for his a million mile-per-hour explanation as to why this wasn't going to happen. She was waiting for him to tell her that she had missed something vital in his ingenious plan.

"That's why you've got to go," the Doctor said just as calmly. Rose looked confused as to where he was sending her. Surely the TARDIS was no safer than here. Her eyes spoke her silent question _Go where?_ "Back to Pete's world." He clarified. He watched the confusion flitter across her face.

"Hey!" he said, turning to Pete and pointing at him in false enthusiasm because, if he keeps talking, then he won't have time to focus on what was about to happen. The more he ignores it the less real it will seem. "We should call it that 'Pete's world!'" His smile faded when he turned back to Rose's confused face.

"I'm opening the breach, but only on this side," He explained carefully, "You'll be safe on that side," He watched as the confusion turned to hurt. Rose couldn't help but notice that he said 'you' rather than 'we'.

"And then you close it?" Pete called, making the pair break their intense gaze. The Doctor turned to face him but could feel Rose's eyes still on him. She didn't speak a word as she stared up at him, still waiting for the explanation that she longer to hear. _You go over, then I'll bring you back._ "For good?"

"The breach itself is steeped in void stuff; eventually it will just close itself," Pete nodded in understanding. "Then that's it. Kaput." The Doctor didn't know what he was explaining anymore. That one word 'Kaput' summed up everything. Daleks, Cybermen, the breach, Rose... love.

He turned back to Rose's unmoving face.

"But you stay on this side?" she asked quietly, breaking her silence.

"But you'll get pulled in!" Mickey said, finally catching up.

The Doctor and Rose looked just looked at each other, neither wanting to believe what was happening.

For a second Rose had believed that he would be coming too. But the TARDIS was here. And the look he was giving her now said only one thing: _I'm sorry_.

"That's why..." the Doctor said, skipping away from Rose, letting her fall forward slightly as if he was the gravity holding her there, and towards the desk at the other end, "I got these!" He held up a magna-clamp, "I've just got to hold on tight, been doing it all my life!"

Rose walked forward. He had clearly forgotten to mention that she would be staying too. Maybe he just needed prompting.

"And I'm supposed to go?" she asked.

"Yeah," He dropped the magna-clamp to the ground, refusing to look at her.

"To another world and then it gets sealed off?" Rose was running out of possibilities, she was starting to think that there was no room for her in his plan. She would be sent away like a child to safety while he stayed here. Without her.

"Yeah," he said, rushing to the computer. It was all about distractions. He had to keep running because if he didn't then reality might catch up.

"Forever?" Rose thought she saw something flicker across the Doctor's face as she uttered the one word that they lived by, the one word that the whole foundation of their relationship was built on.

She thought that he would change his mind, realise his mistake.

"Yeah,"

She was wrong. She had thought he needed reminding; now it was clear he needed telling. _Stupid Time Lord._

"Well that's not going to happen," She said with a laugh. The Doctor didn't have a chance to say anything because the building suddenly shook violently.

Pete suddenly took charge switching into business-man mode.

"We don't have time to argue. The plan works, we're going." He pointed to the guards by the door, "You two, all of us."

"Hang on," Rose argued, "I'm not leaving him!" Her voice was high and panicked as she followed her mother forward.

"I'm not going without her!" Jackie spoke up for the first time.

"Oh my God, we're going!" Pete shouted at his wife-but-not.

"I've had twenty years without you so button it," Jackie fumed, "I'm not leaving her!"

"But you've got to!" Rose said, catching the attention of everyone.

"Well that's tough!" Jackie argued.

"Mum," Rose said, pulling on Jackie's arm and willing her to understand, "I've had a life with you for nineteen years. But then I met the Doctor," Rose's nose started to sting as tears threatened to fall "and all the things I've seen him do for me, for you, for all of us, for the whole stupid planet and every planet out there, he does it alone Mum. But not anymore because –" But Rose never got to finish that sentence because Jackie had suddenly pulled herself out of her grip and stalked towards the Doctor.

Rose span around just in time to see Jackie give the Doctor an almighty smack across the face.

The Doctor raised a hand to his throbbing cheek and Rose watched as a jump-disk fell from his grasp and to the ground, smashing into pieces. Her mouth fell open, he had been about to send her away again.

"How dare you!" Jackie roared at him, smacking him again "How dare you try to send my Rose away like that! Without even askin', you should be ashamed of yourself. I have half a mind to bloody slap you into a new body and the other half to send you into that void myself!"

Jackie turned on her heel and stalked towards Pete. "And you," she said darkly, "How bloody dare you. Didn't you listen to what the Doctor said? I won't be pulled in. I don't have this void stuff on me and you wanted to make me go? Are you thick or what? If Rose is stayin 'ere then so am I." She poked Pete hard in the chest before turning and standing next to Rose.

"Jacks, I-" Pete started, his tone apologetic but pleading, "I just can't lose you again."

"Yeah well try a stunt like that again and you just might," Jackie said as she walked over to him and kissed him soundly on the lips, shutting him up once and for all.

"Rose," The Doctor spoke up finally, he made his was over to her and stood towering over her, making sure that she was the only one to hear him "It's not safe. You might- I can't-" he broke off and exhaled furiously, looking down at the ground. Rose smiled softly and placed a hand on his red cheek.

"When has that ever stopped me before?" she asked and the Doctor let out a small chuckle. She pulled his face gently around to look at her, forcing him to meet her gaze. "I made my choice a long time and I'm never going to leave you." He gave a small nod and pulled her into a hug. When he let go of her they turned to the others, their hands clasped even tighter than usual.

"You guys should go," She said, her voice catching slightly, "There isn't much time and-" But for the second time in five minutes Jackie interrupted her.

"Haven't you been listening to me, sweetheart?" Jackie asked, "I'm staying."

"And so am I," Everyone looked at Pete in shock. "Well don't just stand there. Them Daleks will be here any minute. What can I do to help?"

Pete and the Doctor looked at each other for a moment before the Doctor called out instructions. While the two men rushed from computer to computer Mickey walked forward to Rose and Jackie.

"Guess this is goodbye then," He said. Rose hugged hum tightly before rushing to the Doctor's side. They had already been through this; there was no need to make it any harder on either of them.

"What?" Jackie asked, watching as Mickey's eyes followed Rose sadly "You're not stayin'?"

"Nah," He said with a laugh "There's nothing for me here anymore. I've got my Gran over there, a job... and a girlfriend. I'll miss you the most though, Jackie." A few tears rolled down Jackie's cheeks as she pulled Mickey into a hug, planting a wet kiss to his cheek.

Mickey stepped back from her embrace and looked at Pete who was standing next to a lever on the right. The Doctor was next to the other while Rose stood by the magna-clamp now connected to the left wall.

"Cya boss," he said, saluting the Doctor with two fingers. "Look after her, yeah?"

"Goodbye Mickey," said the Doctor with a sad smile, casting Rose a quick glance.

"Pete, it's been good, yeah? See you again maybe." Pete smiled and shook Mickey's hand.

"Mr. Smith it's been an honour. You're promoted," He watched as Mickey stepped back in shock "Torchwood needs a new leader. Reckon you're up for it?"

"Hell yeah I'm up for it!" he shouted with glee, but then something caught his eye out the window, "But so are they!" A Dalek was hovering outside the window, its weapon poised for attack.

"Mickey, go!" Rose yelled, as she watched two others join it. They didn't have long, a minute at the most.

With a final glance Mickey and Jake pressed their medallions and disappeared from view. A tear rolled down Rose's cheek and she brushed it away impatiently. Now wasn't a time for domestics.

"It shouldn't be too bad for us but the Daleks and Cybermen lived in the void, they're bristling with it!" The Doctor explained as Pete rushed back over to his lever and Jackie stood beside his clamp, her back flat against the wall. "Ready?" he asked, leaving no time for them to answer as he yelled "Let's do it!" He and Pete pulled the levers into place. Rushing to the clamps they held on tight as the computer's voice sounded.

"ONLINE"

The Doctor linked one arm through the clamp and the other around Rose's waist, pulling her as close as possible as she too linked the lever, as the void started to suck them in. He looked over to Pete who was holding on for dear life as a Dalek whizzed past him. Rose pressed her face into the Doctor's chest as the Daleks and Cybermen screamed.

Jackie was looking around wide eyed and completely unaffected as Dalek after Dalek zoomed past. She watched as everyone blew about, clinging to the black handles while she stood there with only the breeze from the Daleks and Cybermen.

Suddenly a Dalek crashed into the lever that Pete had put in place. The Daleks started to slow and she saw the pull on the others lessen as the computer called "OFFLINE"

Looking to her right she saw the lever start to descend.

The Doctor looked on in panic, he could feel Rose's grip begin to waver as she strained to see what was happening. She twisted around fully, letting go of the Doctor so that she was only holding onto the magnet with her hands. She watched with wide eyes as the lever sparked.

"Jackie!" the Doctor called, "You've got to get it upright!"

"Have you gone barmy?" Jackie yelled back "What about the Daleks? I could be killed!" Another Dalek floated lazily by as if to punctuate her point.

"I know, Jackie. And I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but it's the only way to save everyone. Now do it!"

"Alright! No need to shout," Jackie scolded, moving closer to the lever. "Who needs to live anyway?" She grabbed onto the lever and yanked it into the upright position. "Trust a man to do a woman's job!"

"ONLINE AND LOCKED"

If Jackie Tyler said anything else it went unheard as the Daleks and Cybermen started their steady flow once more. The Doctor laughed in glee as he watched them fly past.

"Into the void! Ha!" he shouted, as a few more whizzed past. He looked down at Rose, failing to notice her new, less safe, grip on the lever, who was grinning up at him. He took in her wild hair and her eyes that were practically dancing with happiness knowing that they were safe. She was beautiful.

He was about to say something to her, tell her how happy he is to have her, tell her how lost he would be if she wasn't there, confess to that emotion that she brought bubbling to the surface just by smiling, when the strength of the void doubled.

"This is it!" he called down to her instead, "The void won't last much longer! It's starting to close in on itself!"

Rose grinned back at him and he put his arm back around her waist, pulling her back towards him with a force that caused her grip on the clamp to break.

The Doctor looked down in shock as Rose suddenly slipped from his grasp, falling towards the void at an alarming rate. Her arms outstretched in attempt to get back to him as a piercing scream of denial left her body.

"ROSE!" he yelled as she screamed, "No!"

"ROSE!" he heard Jackie and Pete call before Jackie, in a moment of desperation, ran forward and grabbed, in a movement that could only be described as a Rugby tackle, her daughter around the middle, protecting her from certain death. Rose was still being pulled and Jackie struggled to keep her with her. Placing an iron grip around Rose with one arm she managed to grab hold of the lever beside them. Jackie called out in pain with the pressure of holding Rose to her just as the void made a sucking noise and closed. They fell to the ground in a heap of limbs, breathing heavily but oh so alive.

Nobody moved for a moment, all shocked at what had passed.

Jackie and Rose were the first to stir, moving slowly out of their uncomfortable positions. The Doctor watched, a horrified look still on his face, as Rose sat up and rubbed her shoulder that had collided with the ground. Their eyes met and Rose stood, making her way slowly towards his still frozen form. They were both barely aware of Jackie and Pete embracing, both solely focused on each other.

"Doctor," she whispered, when he reached him, "it's okay, I'm here. I'm fine. It's over. We're alive." Placing a hand on his cheek, she silently begged him to move, to say something, to show her that he was alright. "Doctor?" she asked, her eyes wide with worry.

"Rose..." his voice was no more than a whisper. He broke away from the clamp he had been clutching and stood before her, their bodies only centimetres apart. "You nearly-" he choked, "I couldn't- my fault-"

"Hey now," she murmured to him, stroking his cheek softly, his skin was cold beneath her thumb as it moved rhythmically over him, "I'm fine. It wasn't your fault. No stupid void is gunna keep me from being with you."

"But you could have been-"

"But I wasn't!" She reminded him. He looked down at her, and she saw the fear that was still in his eyes. Smiling softly she dropped her hand from his cheek to his hand. Entwining their fingers she lifted his hand to her chest, placing it palm down over her heart, letting him feel the steady beat beneath her skin. "It's over, Doctor. I'm alive and we're together."

She dropped her hand from his and was pleasantly surprised to find that he kept his hand there of his own accord, clearly needing longer for her words to sink in.

The Doctor breathed deeply as he took in Rose's worried face so close to his and her steady heartbeat beneath his hand. She was so warm, so solid, and oh so wonderfully alive. Releasing a breath that he wasn't even aware he was holding he dropped his hand from her chest, almost certain that her heart would keep beating without his touch, and wrapped his arms around her waist in a bone crushing hug.

Rose returned the hug with matching enthusiasm and laughed as he pulled her clean off her feet. He swung her softly from side to side as he buried his nose in her neck, breathing deeply in the smell of her zesty soap.

When they finally released each other they turned to the couple next to them who had been watching their hug with interest.

"Right! Allons-y!" The Doctor said with slightly forced enthusiasm, "Come on Jackie, Pete. We've got to go find you somewhere to live. Can't have a dead man walking the streets now can we?" The corner of Pete's mouth curled into a smile as he wrapped an arm firmly around Jackie's waist. "And you, Rose Tyler," The Doctor said, turning to Rose with a quirked eyebrow, "I am going to have a very serious conversation with you about _not wandering off_."

Rose didn't doubt that he was.

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**Let me know what you think, is it worth following up? Thanks :) x**


	2. Differences

**Thank you to everyone who alerted, favourited and reviewed the first chapter! It was way more than I was expecting, and I'm so glad you all like it! You're going to have to bare with me for the next week or so, my school does November exams instead of Christmas exams so I'm supposed to be studying... it's not going so well! I've stared the third chapter so hopefully you'll have it soon! **

**This chapter and the next are really just easing you into this version, but don't worry the actual series re-write will start soon :)**

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The four of them walked slowly back to the TARDIS, they were silent as they moved through the empty corridors. As they entered the main storage room where the TARDIS was Rose and Jackie let out shocked, horrified cries. Surrounding them were the lifeless bodies of Torchwood personnel that had been either too slow, or too brave, or had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Doctor closed his eyes to the death and destruction around him, breathing deeply. This was only a fraction of the destruction the Daleks and Cybermen had caused. If this many were dead inside Torchwood how many were dead outside? He longed for the days where everybody lived.

He felt Rose take his hand and give it a tight squeeze. He opened his eyes and looked sadly down at her. She had tears in her eyes and seemed as adamant as he was not to look at the bodies surrounding them. This wasn't why he travelled; he never wanted to show her sights like these. He pulled her into a tight hug, once again relishing in the steady heartbeat beneath her skin.

Rose buried her face in the Doctor's chest letting the double heartbeat remind her once again that they were alive, and together. When his arms tightened around her she knew that he was doing the same thing. She let the tears fall for the people lost, for the people who had children, cousins, girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, wives, friends, who would never come home. Her tears soaked his jacket, but she knew he didn't mind.

"Come on," he whispered, kissing the top of her head and letting her go but once again taking her hand, not willing to break contact with her just yet. She looked over to her parents and saw that Jackie too was seeking comfort from Pete; her face was buried in his neck while he rubbed circles on her back. Wiping her eyes with her free hand Rose allowed the Doctor to lead her forward.

The Doctor led them through the maze of lifeless bodies and broken artefacts to the TARDIS. He stopped outside his wonderful ship, taking one last look at the destruction surrounding them before stepping inside. Rose followed him without a backwards glance, keeping her eyes trained on the back of his suit. Jackie and Pete followed after still not having spoken a word.

"Oh my God," Pete said as he shut the door, breaking the silence that had settled around them. Three heads whipped around to see what had startled him, "It's bigger on the inside!"

The Doctor's lip twitched but he said nothing as he moved around the controls, setting the destination for Jackie's living room. The TARDIS shook as they were sent into the vortex and Rose fell against him, her hand still clutched in his. He steadied her by her shoulder before looking into her eyes, afraid that she would be traumatised from the death they had seen.

When she came running into the TARDIS with her blonde hair flowing behind her all those years ago with promises of adventure and '_did I mention, it also travels in time?'_ had she had any idea that life would be like this? He should have forced her to leave with Jackie and Pete; at least she would be safe from the inevitable destruction that was life with him.

Rose refused to back away from the intense eyes of the Doctor, knowing that he was probably searching for doubt in her eyes, and certain that if he were to find any that he would never forgive himself.

Jackie and Pete were standing silently by the rails as the TARDIS flew them to their destination. It wasn't long before the familiar jolt of landing shook them all out of their reveries and forced the Doctor to break eye contact with Rose. He would have to talk to her later, find out just how much he had mentally damaged her.

"Where are we?" Jackie asked, as the Doctor sat down on the jump seat. The Doctor nodded to the door, in invitation. Shaking her head Jackie pulled the doors open, sighing in relief at the sight of her living room. "Oh thank heavens for that! I'll make us all a cuppa, least I can do." She exited and moved towards the kitchen, leaving the doors open behind her.

Pete took one look at Rose, who was staring, fixated at the Doctor who was looking back at her with equal intention, and decided that it was time to leave them alone, to let the traumatic event sink in.

"I'll just, er, go have a chat with Jacks..." he said, but he might as well have been talking to the wall for all the notice he got. Shutting the doors behind him he strode into the familiar but totally new living room of Jackie Tyler.

He could hear Jackie filling the tea pot with water and he smiled as he heard the metallic bang of her placing it on the hob. It was such a homey sound in such a homey place but it wasn't his home. Then why did it feel like it was? He once had this house, but he had never had this home. Yet, he had. This was all so bizarre.

Yesterday he woke up alone, rich, head of Torchwood, a widowed, tired man with the weight of an entire universe upon his shoulders, now, he was standing in his old living room in a different universe with a brand new Jackie Tyler, well brand new to him, a daughter, no job, no money and, by the looks of it, a brand new life stretching out before him. Talk about turning full circle.

He made his way to the kitchen and leant against the door frame as Jackie worked in the kitchen.

She was so achingly familiar, but so different at the same time. Her kindness, her quirks and the way she was constantly eager to have a cup of tea – they were so... just... Jackie. But the way she held herself, her clothes, her attitude towards the people around her were so different to what he knew, to what he had grown accustomed to. This was not the woman he married, this wasn't the Jackie Tyler who had died inside that factory, this was the Jackie he fell in love with. This was the woman that he gave up his universe for. This was his Jackie and he would do it all again in a heartbeat.

Jackie turned to face him then, having caught his shadow looming on the wall. She gave him a winning smile before the tears spilled onto her cheeks.

"Hey!" he whispered, "Hey Jackie, hey! None of that! We're alive aren't we? We're together again, yeah?" Jackie nodded silently and allowed herself to be pulled into his warm embrace. She breathed deeply, trying to stifle her tears, but ending up with a nose full of the most remarkable smell in her life. He smelled like Pete, her Pete, the Pete that she lost so many years ago, the Pete that should have been a father to Rose, and it only made her cry harder.

She cried for herself, for the Pete who died, for Rose, for the Doctor, for everyone who had died today, for the things she had seen and those she wished she hadn't. She cried until her knees went weak and Pete had to carry her to the sofa and hold her close, rocking her like a baby as he too shed a tear for this lamentable day, the day he lost everything but gained it all in the exact same instant.

* * *

Rose and the Doctor emerged from the TARDIS hand in hand just as Jackie stopped sobbing; their knuckles were pale white with the ferocity of their grasp on each other. They took a seat on the sofa opposite Pete and Jackie. Jackie wiped her eyes and sat up off Pete's shoulder, after a few moments of silence she spoke.

"Right then," She said, "What are we going to do? I mean we can't have Pete walking around 'ere when he's been dead for nearly 20 years!"

"Exactly," The Doctor agreed leaning forward to survey the pair and accidentally pulling Rose forward as well, "The TARDIS can take you both somewhere else, we can find you a year or a planet and you can build a life there, if that's what you want."

"Oh, I'm not gunna have to live on some alien planet am I? I mean Martians with three ears and ten eyes may be the life for you two but it sure ain't the one for me!"

"Mum," Rose warned.

"What? I'm just sayin'!"

"Jackie, there are plenty of human colonies living out there and I'm sure I could find you one to your liking," _Look at me, _the Doctor thought to himself_, picking a home out for the mother in law. If only the Time Lords cou- Mother in law? When did I start thinking of Jackie as my mother in law?_

Shaking himself out of his reverie he heard Rose and Jackie discussing where they could go. Pete was silently observing. The Doctor caught his eye and Pete gave him a knowing smile, they were both way in over their heads when it came to the Tyler girls.

"When do we have to go?" Jackie asked him.

"Well I'd say sometime tomorrow morning, maybe early afternoon. Authorities will by trying to calculate how many died by then and we don't want them to start asking questions about Petey-boy over there," Jackie nodded and leaned into Pete for support.

"Don't call me that," said Pete, rubbing soothing circles on Jackie's back.

"Sorry," The Doctor sighed before continuing, "But you have to be sure, Jackie, absolutely sure, because once we leave we can't ever come back. If they don't find you when they come looking they will assume that you're dead. Too many people have died and you'll have gone missing."

"What? Never?"

"Never," Jackie's shoulders slumped visibly and her eyes widened as, for the first time, she realised the enormity of what she would have to do. Pete looked like he was about to say something when their conversation was cut off by the whistle from the kettle. Jackie shot up and raced to the kitchen but not before the Doctor saw a tear escape her eye.

"I better go talk to her," Rose said, releasing his hand at long last and following her mother into the small kitchen.

When Rose entered the room she found Jackie staring at a photo on the fridge, her fingers pressed against the two figures captured. It was taken in the April of 2005, on Rose's nineteenth birthday. In the picture there was a laughing Jackie and Rose with their arms wrapped around each other, their eyes were fixed on something above and unseen by the camera and they had often joked that they were seeing into their happy future.

"Never expected this did we?" Jackie asked, her fingers falling from the captured moment, "How could we have? Of all the things we could have guessed for us..." she trailed off and Rose rushed forward, enveloping her mother in a bone-crushing, Doctor-like hug.

"It'll be okay mum, you just wait and see. The Doctor will fix it, don't you worry," Rose whispered softly into her ear, rubbing her arms up and down her back. She felt Jackie relax and hug her back.

"You really have that much faith in him?" Jackie asked against Rose's shoulder. Rose pulled back and looked into her mother's eyes.

"I really do."

* * *

By 10am the next morning Jackie had packed up any belongings she had wanted and was ready to leave. She was currently sleeping in the TARDIS with Pete while Rose said goodbye to the flat, the Doctor was gone to report them missing.

Rose looked around the flat, letting memories of her 19 years there sink in. She had kissed Mickey for the first time in this room, had argued with her mum too many times to count, had argued with the Doctor. One they left, she would have no reason to come home, she'd have nothing to keep her grounded. Her mother's words echoed in her ears '_and in forty years, fifty, there'll be this woman, this strange woman, walking through the market fifty on some planet a billion miles from earth, but she's not Rose Tyler, not anymore, she's not even human,'_

The door clicked open and the Doctor was standing there, much like he had that Christmas, except there was no warm smile this time, only the haunted eyes of a man who had seen enough destruction to last him a lifetime.

She tried to smile at him, let him know once again that everything was fine, that they were together, that they would get through this, but it came out as more of a grimace than a smile. He strode over to her, coming to a stop less than a foot away from her. She looked up at him through glassy eyes, the events of the last few hours finally taking their toll.

"Rose..." he whispered, his voice strained, "I'm sorry."

She tried to respond, tell him to stop apologizing but she could barely even breathe. She took a deep shuddering breath before collapsing into his arms.

"Rose!" he cried, clutching her to him. Her head lolled to the side, she was asleep, collapsed from exhaustion, and the Doctor couldn't blame her, he felt like he could sleep for a week – and that was saying something. He picked her up gently, carrying her bridal style through the TARDIS doors and to her bedroom.

He lay her down softly on the covers, watching as her eyes flickered underneath her eyelids. For the umpteenth time that day he realised just how close they had come to separation. If he had only managed to get that disk around her neck, she would have been safe - gone, but safe. He pushed a loose piece of hair away from her face and let his fingers trail down the side of her face, allowing himself to show the affection that he hid from her, as best as he could, anyway, in her waking-hours. His mind wandered back to their conversation in the console room earlier...

'_I'll just, er, go have a chat with Jacks..."Pete shut the doors behind him, leaving the Doctor and Rose alone for the first time since they had left the TARDIS that morning._ _They were silent for a long time, Rose leaning against the console and the Doctor sitting on the jump seat, neither knowing where to begin. _

"_Rose, I'm sorry," The Doctor began at the same time Rose said, "Doctor, I'm sorry,"_

"_Why are you sorry?" They both said._

"_It was my fault I-" started the Doctor but he was cut off by Rose saying "If I hadn't let go of-"_

"_It wasn't your fault," Rose stated, stepping in front of him and forcing him to look at her, "Doctor, I was the one who let go of the handle, it was stupid, you couldn't have known."_

"_But Rose," his voice was low and full of self-hatred, "I should have convinced you to leave! You would have been safer on that side of the wall. I was the one who let go of you. What if Jackie hadn't have caught you? What if a Dalek had hit you? I should have sent you away."_

"_So you'd prefer for me to be locked away in a parallel world, is that what you're trying to say?" Rose was starting to get angry._

"_No!" he yelled, shooting to his feet and towering over her. There wasn't so much as an inch between them, and chest pressed against her with every breath. "I just want you safe, and today was proof of the impossibility of that. No matter what I do, I can't keep you safe. Jeopardy friendly doesn't even begin to cover it. Everywhere and everywhen I take you something always happens, what happens if one day nobody catches you when you fall, Rose?"_

_His breathing was erratic, and Rose watched wide eyed as he tried to calm himself. When his breathing was somewhat slower, she raised a hand to his cheek._

"_I trust you to always catch me, Doctor," she whispered fiercely, "And if for some unlikely reason that you can't, then I will _always_ find my way back to you. I meant it when I said forever."_

"_Yeah?" he breathed, taking her in his arms and holding her close,_

"_Yes." She answered, holding him as tight as possible._

_They hugged for a long time, but this was more than their usual 'we're-alive-and-together' hug, this was a 'we're-alive-and-together-and-nothing-is-ever-going-to-separate-us-ever- again' hug. They'd only had this once before, after Krop-Tor, and, as nice as it was, the Doctor didn't ever want to have another one._

His hand came to rest on the back of her head; he ran his fingers through her soft hair and bent his head to press his lips to her forehead.

"Doctor?" came her sleepy voice, and he pulled back immediately, embarrassed at being caught doing something so intimate.

"I'm here, go back to sleep Rose,"

"Stay with me, please," It wasn't so much of a question but a request. His eyes searched hers for a moment, and could see the fear that was there and God help him if he didn't need her as much as she needed him right then. He nodded and she rolled over, making space for him on her single-bed. He pulled off his converse and suit jacket before lying down behind her, spooning up against her back and placing an arm over her waist. She took his hand in her two where it rested on her stomach, and together they drifted off into a dreamless sleep, safe and together, forever.

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**I hope you liked it, and that it wasn't too boring! Happy Belated Halloween :) Reviews are much appreciated x**


	3. Donna

**Sorry it's been a while! I had exams all last week :/ But the good news is that I got an A in History! *does History dance* Anyway, I'm afraid updates will be slow for a while as I try to figure out where I'm going with this story! I have a plan written for the first 8 or so chapters but I don't know how much I'm going to stick to it as this went in the complete opposite direction as to what I had written! **

**I hope you like it :) xx**

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When Rose awoke the next morning she was alone. She hadn't expected the Doctor to still be there, and knew she had asked a lot of him to ask for him to stay with her in the first place, but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt. She wasn't mad at him per say, just a little disappointed, but she understood - spending the night with her was a big step in their relationship, one she knew he wasn't ready to take.

They had shared a bed once before on Krop Tor, when they had thought that they would never see the TARDIS again, but last night was different. It wasn't out of fear of death, but fear of being apart.

She found him in the console with Pete and Jackie, both of whom were nursing cups of tea and looked up as she entered.

"Mornin' love," Jackie smiled, "How'd you sleep?" Rose's eyes met the Doctor's for a split second before she smiled at her mother.

"Great thanks, you?" Rose took a seat beside the Doctor, and tried not to flinch when he pushed away from the jump seat and towards the console, flicking buttons at random.

"Alright, I forgot how much of a racket he makes when he snores," she jerked her thumb towards Pete, and Rose smiled softly but her eyes were trained on the Doctor. His back was turned to her, but she could see how tense he was.

She had known he would be a bit off with her after last night, but she didn't think he would act like he had committed a sin. Then again, he _was_ alien, for all she knew he could have. Or maybe it wasn't guilt, maybe it was regret. Was she that repulsed by her? She had thought after how he had acted at Torchwood that maybe... obviously she was wrong, again.

"Rose, are you even listening to me?" Jackie's shrill voice broke her out of her reverie.

"Hmm?" She tore he eyes away from the Doctor and focused on her mother, she was standing with her hands on her hips and a stern look on her face. Had Rose still been sixteen-years-old, she would have run a mile. "Sorry, mum. Must have zoned out for a moment," Her eyes went back to the Doctor for a second, he was still fiddling only this time he seemed to be actually setting coordinates.

Jackie's eyes followed hers as they lingered on the Doctor's back.

"What did-?"

"Right then!" The Doctor interrupted her, and Rose was certain it wasn't by accident, "I've set us on course for the planet Sorbinia, in the Solar System of Sasana but before we go I need to do some repairs. So why don't you go pack some bags?" He nodded towards Jackie, "Pete, maybe we should go over some plans."

Jackie eyes the pair suspiciously but, for once, she kept her mouth shut.

Rose lead Jackie to the wardrobe room to find them some clothes while Pete and the Doctor discussed the planet, a home and money – basically all the domestic stuff the Doctor hated.

"Alright, spill it," Jackie said, the moment they entered the big room packed full of clothes from everywhere and everwhen, "What happened with you two? Did you shag him?"

"MUM!" Rose shrieked, her face flushing, "No!"

"Then what's going on? Yesterday you couldn't keep your hands off each other and today it's like you're strangers. Did he hurt you?" Rose wandered over to the railings, pulling clothes off at random and chucking them into a pile. "Rose? Rose if he hurt you..." She felt her mother's hand on her shoulder and suddenly she couldn't contain the tears any more.

She span around and flung her arms around her mother's shoulders. Deep shuddering sobs left her as a devastation she didn't know she possessed washed over her.

"What is it sweetheart? What did he do? What's wrong?" Jackie's soothing voice calmed her somewhat but still she refused to answer, burying her head in her mother's neck instead.

To be honest, Rose didn't know what was wrong with her. She and the Doctor weren't a couple, she didn't have the right to expect anything more from him than a hand to hold and a comforting embrace, but they way he had acted, the way he always acts, she was so sure that he had felt the same way as her – he certainly seemed to need her as much as she needed him – but now he won't even look at her!

"I just thought that he- that maybe we were - well, it doesn't matter what I thought. I was wrong." Taking a final deep breath she wiped her eyes and turned back to the clothes, "Right! So I think we have some clothes you'd like somewhere, you don't mind wearing alien fabrics do you? I don't think there's many things made of earth fabrics..."

Jackie watched her daughter sadly as she locked away her feelings and started digging through the rails of clothing. There was a time when Rose would tell her everything; they were more like sisters than mother and daughter. Rose had brought her up just as much as she had Rose, and she longed for the days that the Doctor had taken from her. She couldn't deny that Rose was a better person when she was with the Doctor but that didn't keep her from worrying what would happen to Rose if she kept changing, she was already so different to that girl she was two years ago.

The remainder of the day was spent putting their plans into order and packing some clothes for Pete and Jackie. The Doctor managed to avoid any contact with Rose, too scared that she would want what he couldn't give her.

He was currently fixing the circuits in the TARDIS, so as to ensure that they would land tomorrow exactly where he wanted them to, while the humans slept. At least, he had thought they were all sleeping, the soft footsteps padding across the grating told him otherwise.

He pulled himself out from underneath the console to face his visitor.

"Jackie!" he said in surprise, "What are you doing up? Was Pete snoring again?"

"Yes, actually, but that's not what I'm up, I wanted to talk to you,"

"About what?" he asked, but he already knew the answer.

"Rose," she said, he opened his mouth to say something but Jackie cut across him, "and before you start harping on about how _she's human and you're alien_ and how _it could never work_, just don't. I know as well as you do, Doctor, that you're not right for her, for all I know you've got tentacles where your – never mind, but she's still my daughter and I'll be damned if I let you keep treating her the way you do.

"She needs you, Doctor, and I think you need her too. So stop being a prat and do something about it," Jackie left without another word, leaving the Doctor to his thoughts.

He sighed and buried his face in his hands. Jackie was right, and you won't often hear him saying that. He was being a prat, and he did need Rose, but what he needed and what was right weren't always the same thing. These feelings he had for Rose, which had long surpassed platonic, couldn't be acted on. The universe wasn't that kind, the closer he gets to her the more it will hurt when she finally gets taken away from him, and if anyone were to hear of how she holds his hearts he knew they would stop at nothing to do get to her.

Staying with her had been a mistake, his guard was slipping and he needed to be more careful. If he let himself get too close to her, he wouldn't be able to tear himself away; surely it was worth it, for Rose's sake at least, to stay away? She may hate him now, but in the long run it was the right thing to do, right?

He pulled the skin on his face taught as he dragged his fingers down his skin. It wasn't fair! Why should he have to always suffer? Why couldn't he be allowed happiness, be allowed to be in - to have someone to – to – couldn't the universe allow him this one thing? He did so much for them, never asked for anything in return – just this once couldn't he have something to love? There, he said it. He loved her. And, he would never say it again.

He turned and began to trail his fingers along the TARDIS console, pressing random buttons as he walked slowly around it. An internal battle was raging inside him as he debated whether to tell her now or later, to go or not to go, to be or not to be – Shakespeare was right about one thing; that_ certainly_ was the question.

Stopping at the screen he went to check the coordinates for Sorbinia so as to be sure to land on time and, er, destination, but something caught his eye – a flash of white.

He looked up to see a woman standing there with her mouth wide open.

"What?"

"Oh!" she exclaimed.

"What?"

"Who are you?" she asked.

"But-but-,"

"Where am I?"

"What?"

"What the hell is this place?"

"What?"

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**Hope you liked it :) Please R&R because guess what? It's my birrthhdaayyyy :D xx Next chapter in a week or so, maybe less if I ever get my essay on the Death Penalty done! xx**


	4. Delays

**Right, well this is awkward... **

**I really am very sorry that I left it this long to update but I just couldn't write this chapter no matter how hard I tried. Each word was literaly dragged out of me and I am not happy at all with this. Also, I have been extraordinarily busy the past month and a half! Between my birthday, exams, snow, Christmas, family illnesses, work, New Years, essays and yearbook entries I've barely had time to think, letalone write! But I'm back now, hopefully for good but like always I can't promise a speedy update, just an eventual update.**

**Happy New Year everybody! Oh, and happy 1 year aniversary! (I.e, David left Doctor Who one year ago today!) :(**

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"You're an alien," Donna whispered, keeping her eyes fixed on the stars in front of her. The Doctor had left the TARDIS floating in space while he did his repairs so as to ensure that he wouldn't be injured, again, by the TARDIS suddenly making a sudden dash to the Stone Ages, and he and Donna were currently staring out the open doors at the Fortune Nebula.

"Yeah," he admitted, grateful that she has quietened down.

"It's freezing with these doors open," Donna complained and the Doctor leaned forward to shut them.

"I don't understand it, and I understand everything! This can't happen! There is no way a human being can lock itself onto the TARDIS and transport itself inside." He suddenly dashed up towards the console and plucked up his Temporal-flux Scanner before coming to a halt in front of Donna and shoving it in her face. His mind was whirling as he tried to piece it together. Maybe he should go wake Rose, she would know... _Get a grip!_ He told himself, _surely_ _you can go 5 minutes without her!_ Shaking himself out of his reverie he started spouting all his ideas to Donna at a million miles-per-hour. "It must be some sort of subatomic connection? Something in the temporal field? Maybe something pulling you into alignment with a chronon shell?" He scanned her for a moment and when the results came up as negative he frowned, pulling away from her and eyeing her up and down. "Maybe it's something macro binding your DNA in an interior matrix? Maybe you're genetics are-"

**SLAP!**

"What was that for?" he cried indignantly, his hand coming up to cradle his stinging cheek.

"GET ME TO THE CHURCH!"

"Right! Fine! I don't want you here anyway!" he said, running to the controls and reluctantly changing his detailed coordinates for Sorbinia to... "Where is this wedding?"

"St. Mary's, Panal Road, Chiswick, London, England, Earth, the Solar System..." she trailed off for a moment "I knew it! Acting all innocent, how many women have you abducted?" She shoved a rose scented garment in his face causing him to look up in alarm. He stared at the offending purple shirt in Donna's hand, momentarily lost in the memory of how Rose had looked in it, how the purple had complimented her creamy skin, how her lips had felt under his...

"That's my friend's!" he huffed, not happy at all about being slapped and then accused of kidnapping.

"Well, where is she then? Popped out for a spacewalk?" The Doctor began to roll his eyes but then thought better of it; his cheek was still stinging from the first slap. Donna could give Jackie a run for her money that's for sure.

"She's asleep in her room, if you must know," he replied, going back to typing in the coordinates, "So if you wouldn't mind lowering your voice, we've had a hard few days!"

"Oi!" Donna scowled, "I'll scream bloody murder if that's what it takes to get away from you and your freaky, pulsating, _freezing_ spaceship!" the Doctor shot her a dark look, "What do you mean 'hard few days'?"

"Doesn't matter. Right then, Chiswick!" Donna looked at him thoughtfully and the Doctor, doing his best to ignore her contemplative expression, was about to start the dematerialisation sequence when an angry shriek came from the doorway.

"What's going on?" cried the voice of one Jackie Tyler. Both the Doctor and Donna span around to see Jackie fixing them with a death glare, her arms crossed over her chest with her hip jutting out to the side.

"That your friend, or did you just kidnap her as well?" Donna asked, narrowing her eyes at Jackie.

"What do you mean kidnapped?" Jackie asked, before the Doctor could respond. He was really getting sick of being talked over.

"He kidnapped me!" Donna cried, "I was half-way up the aisle, when he snatched me and, I dunno, drugged me! Next thing I know I'm standing there," she pointed to the spot where the Doctor had scanned her, "and he's shoving his thingie in my face!" Jackie's eyes popped open and she stormed over to where the Doctor was standing, his eyes equally as wide as hers.

"You shoved your _what_ in her face?" she demanded, her hand already poised and ready to slap.

"No! No, Jackie, Jackie, no, no, no, no, no, it's not what it sounds like! I swear I was just-"

**SLAP!**

"You," **SLAP!** "Filthy," **SLAP!** "Disgusting,"** SLAP!** "Perverted," **SLAP!** "Excuse," **SLAP!** "For," **SLAP!** "An," **SLAP!** "Alien!" **SLAP! **Donna looked on in amusement as Jackie continued to throw insults at the Doctor while she chased him around the console, slapping any part of his body that she could reach.

"Mum! Stop slapping him!" the Doctor poked his head up from behind the captain's chair, which he was cowering behind, to see Rose standing at the doorway glowering at her mother.

"But he kidnapped this woman and shoved his willy in her face!" Jackie shouted, chasing the Doctor around the console once more. Rose watched on with an amused expression on her face as the Doctor winced from Jackie's onslaught. The Doctor ran behind Rose, using her as a shield from Jackie's slaps.

"Mum, calm down!" Rose ordered, shaking off the Doctor's hands from her shoulders, he didn't get to use her as a shield after ignoring her the whole day.

She walked over to Donna and stuck out her hand, "I'm Rose, Rose Tyler, and that's my mum, Jackie. We're human, don't worry. Now tell me what happened."

"I don't know! I was walking down the aisle and suddenly there was this light and next thing I know I'm here and he's shoving some scanner in my face!" Rose raised an eyebrow as she looked pointedly at her mother who had a sheepish look on her face.

"Yeah, sorry," Rose said, turning back to Donna, "He can be a bit rude, well, when I say a bit..."

"Oi!" The Doctor cried indignantly, but Rose ignored him. She wasn't ready to forgive him, not yet. Not when she had needed him so much.

"Right," replied Donna, "Well skinny streaks of alien might be your thing, blondie, but I have somewhere important to be, so if you wouldn't mind getting me to the church, that would be just dandy." Rose nodded, not at all impressed at being called 'blondie' but willing to let it slide seeing as the woman was missing her own wedding. She looked at the Doctor, who was fixing the coordinates. He looked up at her and their eyes met for the first time in over twenty-four hours and slammed down the lever.

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** I know, I know, you can hardly call that an update but it's better than nothing, right? No? Yeah, I don't think it is either but I felt terrible about not updating. Please review, just so I know that someone wants me to continue! I will try really hard to have an update asap :)**

**Lots of love, Katie x**


	5. Don't I know you?

**I know, yet another slow update! But I think I'm starting to get into this story now... at least two thirds of this chapter was written over the past three days so hopefully I'll have chapter 6 before long! I do have exams (again) starting on Feb 11th so if there is no update before that then I promise I'll have one up as soon as the exams are over. **

**I hope you like this!**

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Pete Tyler woke with a start as a jolt from the TARDIS tossed him out of bed. He looked around wildly for a moment before remembering everything that had taken place over the past two days. Standing up, he glanced at the bed, taking note of the lack of Jackie. Her absence made him uncomfortable; he'd been without her for so long that he couldn't bear being separated from her, even if she was just... where was she?

Grabbing his dressing gown he ambled down the TARDIS corridors looking for the console room. He knew he was getting close when he heard raised voices.

"Well skinny streaks of alien might be your thing, blondie, but I have somewhere important to be, so if you wouldn't mind getting me to the church, that would be just dandy."

Pete stopped, his eyes widening, he knew that voice, would recognise it anywhere. That was the voice of Donna Alana Noble, his secretary, his confidant, his best friend, his once-upon-a-time girlfriend. He edged closer, peering around the corner. He hoped to remain hidden, observe Donna while he could as he tried to make sense of why she was here.

"PETE!" Jackie shouted a moment later and he had no choice but to leave the shadows and enter the room. The four occupants of the console room looked up at him as he entered and made his way over to Jackie, slipping an arm around her waist.

"Hello, Donna," he said, smiling at her fondly, "Long time no see, eh?" Four sets of eyes widened.

"What do you mean 'long time no see'?" Donna asked, her voice rising, "I've never met you before in my life!"

"What are you talking about, you daft cow?" Pete asked, "You're my best friend!"

"_What_ did you call me?" Donna shrieked, stalking forward and slapping Pete with enough force to send him flying sideways into the console.

"Oh, wrong move!" said Jackie, as she stepped closer to Donna with a look the Doctor liked to call 'the Oncoming Slap'.

Pete was looking at Donna with confused look when the Doctor piped up "Parallel universe, Pete, she's not your Donna."

"What the hell do you mean 'his Donna'?" Donna exclaimed, looking wildly between the two men. Something akin to understanding on her face. "I knew it! You _did_ kidnap me! Here you all were, acting all innocent when you've been conspiring all along!" She looked like she was about to say more when the TARDIS landed with a thump and she ran to the door, throwing it open and stalking out with the Doctor and Pete hot at her heels.

Jackie turned on her heel, stalking into the depths of the TARDIS, muttering something about how all men are the same. Shaking her head, Rose turned and followed the men out the door. She tried to ignore the lump in her throught when she thought about how it's always her following the Doctor and never the other way around.

Looking around her as she stepped out of the TARDIS doors, Rose knew that, once again, the Doctor had gotten the flight wrong. She could see the three of them, Pete in his dressing gown and slippers, Donna in her wedding dress and the Doctor dressed in his usual attire that just screamed 'science geek', in the distance trying to hail a TAXI with no avail. Rolling her eyes, she slowly made her way towards them.

As she approached she kept her eyes on the Doctor, unable to keep the stab of hurt at bay as she thought of how distant he was being. It was like that conversation in the TARDIS had never happened. She was getting tired of hiding her emotions from him; she loved him and wanted him to love her back.

It wasn't like she expected anything more from him after he had stayed with her, but the way he was acting was like he wished that he could be as far away from her as possible. _Maybe, he doesn't love me_, she thought. _Maybe I should just go before I end up hurting us both._ Shaking herself out of her reverie she focused on what was happening before her.

The Doctor had disappeared and Donna and Pete were climbing into a taxi. She watched as Pete told the driver, who was dressed in a ridiculous Santa costume, where to go. As the taxi sped off it suddenly dawned on her that that hadn't been just a Santa suit, it was a Santa _disguise_.

"DONNA!" she heard the Doctor shout and located him standing opposite her, a look of horror on his face. His eyes met hers and Rose pushed her feelings to the back of her mind, they had people to save.

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The Doctor looked on in horror as the taxi sped off with Pete and Donna still inside. He quickly calculated how long he had to save them and figured he had about 15 minutes until they were in any immediate danger. He turned and spotted Rose across the street from him, her eyes met his and, even from a distance, he could see the lasting effects of his coldness within them. She blinked and the look was gone, replaced by one of determination.

He grinned, trying to ignore the feeling in his chest he got whenever he saw her upset, and sped towards her, grabbing her hand and towing her towards the TARDIS.

They raced through the doors of the TARDIS and were greeted with a fully dressed Jackie, her hands on her hips as she waited for an explanation.

"There you are!" she said, smiling in spite of herself, "Where's Pete?"

The Doctor dropped Rose's hand and sped towards the console, 10 minutes until possibly fatal danger. He began the dematerialisation sequence, as Rose walked slowly towards her panicking mother.

"Why'd we leave Pete behind?" she was shrieking, "What are you doing? We have to go back!"

"Mum, calm down!" Rose tried, and failed, to stop her mother from grabbing the Doctor and pulling him away from the console.

"Jackie, I don't have time for this! Donna and Pete could be in serious danger and if you don't let me go I won't be able to save them!"

"What do you mean 'serious danger'?" she asked, as the Doctor set about preparing the TARDIS for flight.

"Someone's taken Pete and Donna," Rose explained to her mother, watching the Doctor race around the console from the corner of her eye. The TARDIS sparked as he pounded it with the mallet. "And we don't know who they are but they look just like them Pilot Fish from last Christmas." Jackie clasped a hand to her mouth in disbelief; she refused to believe that she had lost Pete again so soon after finding him.

"You have to save 'em!" she said to the Doctor, who was now attempting to manoeuvre the TARDIS through the traffic on the M3. The TARDIS was jostling from side to side as he yanked levers and pressed buttons. He shot Jackie a glare before motioning for Rose to help him.

"Keep this steady, no matter what!" he said, pointing to a lever on his left. "When I say so, pull this one down half way, alright?" Rose nodded, taking the two levers in her hands. "Jackie, I need you to hold this button down if, and when, Rose pulls that lever, okay?" Jackie ran into position as the Doctor twisted a few more knobs.

"Doctor," Rose called to him as he sprinted to the doors, he looked back at her as he grasped the handles, "Be careful."

He nodded before throwing open the doors, revealing the motorway and the black taxi. Pete and Donna were staring wide-eyed at the TARDIS.

"OPEN THE DOOR!" The Doctor shouted at them.

"Y'what?" came Donna's muffled response.

"OPEN THE DOOR!"

"It's locked!" shouted Pete, Donna banged on the glass to show that they were trapped. Whipping out his sonic, the Doctor unlocked the door. He glanced back at Rose and Jackie to make sure that the TARDIS was behaving. They seemed to be hanging in there so he turned his attention back to Donna and Pete.

"Santa's a robot!" Donna cried, as she pulled down the window.

"DONNA, OPEN THE DOOR!"

"What for?"

"BOTH OF YOU, YOU'VE GOT TO JUMP!"

"I'm not bleedin' flip jumping; I'm supposed to be getting married!" Donna called, shrilly.

Pete looked at the woman beside him, realising for the first time how much he was going to miss his old world, his old Donna. He hadn't even thought about the consequences of leaving, and who he was leaving behind. He didn't regret his decision at all but now he wished he could have said goodbye.

"Donna, just do it!" he told her, and was given one of her trademark filthies, which seemed to make him gulp no matter what universe he was in.

But before either of them could do anything, the taxi sped away from the Doctor and his floating TARDIS.

"Now Rose!" The Doctor shouted, sticking his head out the door to watch the taxi drive away.

Nodding, Rose pulled down her lever, indicating to her mother to press her allocated button. As the lever locked into the place there was a loud, electric snap and sparks flew out of the console. Rose screamed, flinging herself away from the sparking console but it was too late. She felt a sharp, tingling sensation flow through her body, and then everything went black.

**_TBC..._**

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**Taa-daa? :) I hope you liked it and please review! Knowing what people think always makes me want to write faster! Thanks! Till next time, Katie xx**


	6. Decisions

**Okay, I know it isn't exactly a speedy update but it's _speedier _than most of the other updates I've given. Oh, and it's also the longest chapter so far. :) Yayy.. Exams start Friday so there won't be an update for at least another week or two. But I promise (my hand is actually on my heart) that once they are over that I will work harder and faster on updates to the best of my ability. **

**Right, so anyway... I hope you enjoy! Also, I don't claim to be a doctor so I have no idea what would happen if you got electrocuted but this is my version. Doubley also, I know the TARDIS doesn't run on normal electricity but in this it does. :)**

* * *

The Doctor whipped his head around as he heard Rose scream. He spotted her lying on the grating, her eyes closed and her head lolling to one side. Jackie was screeching as she kneeled next to her unconscious daughter, trying to rouse her. The TARDIS console was smoking slightly and he realised that Rose had been electrocuted. He was torn with indecision, Rose needed him but so did Donna and Pete. Why did he always have to choose between saving Rose and saving someone, or something, else?

Turning back to Donna and Pete, he quickly disabled the robot Santa.

"Rose is hurt! You have to jump!" he cried desperately. This seemed to spur Pete into action because he leaned over Donna and flung the door wide open.

"I'm not jumping on a motorway!" Donna shouted, her eyes wide with fear as she took in the road rolling by beneath her.

"Whatever that thing is, it needs you. And whatever it needs you for, it's not good. Now, come on!" the Doctor yelled, he glanced back at Rose and Jackie and his hearts plummeted as he noted that Rose was still lying unconscious.

"I'm in my wedding dress!" Donna screamed, and his head whipped back to the road beside him.

"Yes, you look lovely! Now jump!"

Donna stood up a little way from her seat, preparing herself for the leap but at the last moment she hesitated and lost her nerve.

"I can't do it!" she said, her tone almost apologetic.

"Trust me," the Doctor whispered, his eyes were wide with desperation to get to Rose and make sure she was okay. He knew from experience that electrocution by the TARDIS was very painful and hoped that she wouldn't suffer any permanent damage.

Donna seemed to sense his distress and, with a terrified scream, she jumped out through the taxi door and into the TARDIS. She collided with the Doctor and the pair fell backwards onto the grating. Gently pushing Donna off him, the Doctor turned back to the taxi for Pete. His hearts plummeted when he saw that the robot had, inexplicably, regained power and was now driving away with Pete still trapped inside.

"NO!" he yelled, reaching out in vain towards the taxi as it sped off down the motorway.

As the taxi sped out of view, the TARDIS gave an almighty groan which the Doctor took to mean two things, one: they were going to crash and two: someone on board was really hurt and needed medical attention.

Slamming the doors shut he turned to find Donna and Jackie kneeling beside Rose, trying to get any sort of response out of her. The TARDIS rattled and auto-dematerialised due to the strain flying caused her.

The Doctor ran to Rose's side, his hearts beating erratically as he tried to calculate just how many volts of electricity had surged through her body. As he nudged Jackie to the side in order to take Rose's pulse, she seemed to notice for the first time that Pete was not in the console room.

"Where's Pete?" she asked the Doctor, in no more than a whisper. The Doctor looked up at Jackie, his eyes softening as he took in her teary, fearful eyes.

"I will find him, Jackie, just like I told you I'd get Rose and you out of Torchwood alive. You have my word, but right now I need to focus on Rose."

Jackie nodded, wiping away an errant tear and turning her attention back to her daughter who was being lifted by the Doctor.

"I need to get her to the med-bay," he said as he cradled Rose's delicate body in his arms. "Her pulse is irregular and she may need oxygen if she doesn't wake up soon," He took in Jackie's alarmed expression and gave her a weak smile, "She'll be okay, Jackie, she's had worse. Look after Donna." Nodding towards the bride, who was sitting staring at the wall, he turned on his heal and carried Rose out of the room.

* * *

He placed Rose down on the small bed in the TARDIS' small med-bay. He hooked her up to the heart-rate monitor before proceeding to check her for injuries. He gently removed her hoodie from her slender frame, wincing slightly as he noticed that it was slightly singed. Grabbing a scissors from a nearby drawer he cut her thin t-shirt from her body.

His eyes widened in alarm as he saw that she had been wearing her TARDIS key around neck. The key in question was currently welded to her pale, white chest just above her heart. There was a painful looking burn surrounding the small key but thankfully it didn't look too bad. Still, it made the Doctor's stomach churn to see the damage his ship had done to his perfect little human. This was supposed to be their home and he couldn't even keep her safe inside of it.

He worked slowly and deliberately to remove the key from her skin. When it lifted away there was a dark red, key-shaped burn left on her chest that would probably scar but nothing too serious. He was just applying another layer of Bilalian Burn Balm to the tender skin when he heard a small moan pass from between her lips.

He grabbed her hand and held it to his lips, willing her to wake up.

"D-Doctor?" Her eyes fluttered but she didn't open them.

"I'm here, Rose," he replied, thanking the God of every religion he could think of that she was awake, "How are you feeling?"

"F-fine, I'm fine, I'm... fried... eggs..." Her head lolled to the side, as the Doctor quirked an eyebrow, an amused expression on his face. _Just what I need,_ he thought, _a delirious companion_. "Is the toast ready?" she asked.

"Nope, not yet, I'm afraid," he replied, dropping her hand and moving to touch her temples, "Hold on, now, this won't take a tick and then you can have all the toast you want."

"With mashed banana on top?"

"Mashed bananas and chocolate, your favourite!" he replied.

"And mushrooms and pickles?"

"If you so want..."

"Marmalade?"

"Anything you want you can have, Rose." He smiled, as he pushed through her surface thoughts. He carefully poked his way through her brain, trying to unscramble his confused human's brainwaves. He needed her in tip-top shape if they were to go rescue Pete and solve the mystery that was the bride.

He was hit by a sudden rush of emotion as he made his way through her thoughts. He tried not to read anything, he knew all too well how much Rose hated having things muck around in her head, but the hurt that poured from her was too much to ignore. He felt the humility she had felt when she woke up alone, the devastation when he had ignored her, the anger when he pretended like nothing was wrong, the doubt when she thought about his actions and the glimmer of hope when he took her hand but most of all, he felt her undying and unyielding love for him. He frowned, how could she feel so much? And how could she feel so much about him? He was a lonely, cowardly alien with the blood of millions on his hands and she was a pure and young human with her whole life ahead of her.

He shook his head, focusing on the task in hand. He managed to find where she had been affected by the electric shock and cleared her thought passage. He could feel her waking up again, and new she wouldn't be happy to find him in her brain so, slowly so as not to leave any evidence of his peeking, he withdrew from her mind. As he dropped his fingers from her temples her eyes flickered open.

She looked around her for a moment, a dazed look on her face before she focused on the Doctor's smiling face.

"Hello," she smiled.

"Hello," he returned, "Welcome back."

"What happened?" she asked.

"Oh, just your standard shock from the TARDIS console. Nothing my expert medical skills can't handle. They don't call me the Doctor for nothing, I'll have you know!" The Doctor laughed nervously and Rose surveyed him with a raised eyebrow.

"Am I gunna be okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah! You're gunna be fine and dandy. Fandy, one might say! Well, actually, no... I don't suppose one would..."

"Are you sure I'm going to be 'fandy'?" she asked, her voice steeped in scepticism.

The Doctor's smile faded for a moment and he couldn't help but glance down at the shiny red skin on her chest. She followed his gaze and gasped.

"I'm so sorry, Rose," he whispered, now that he looked at the burn he found it hard to turn his eyes away. "The TARDIS key was burnt to your skin and I don't have anything strong enough to stop it from scarring."

He glanced up at Rose to see that she was still staring at the wound on her otherwise perfect skin.

"How comes it doesn't hurt?" she asked him, her eyes finally leaving her chest and meeting his.

"Oh, that will be the Bilalian Burn Balm! Just apply it three times a day for three days and voila! All pain and redness, gone!" He shot her a toothy grin, clearly proud of his medical skills.

"You think you're so impressive!" Rose replied, giving him her tongue-between-teeth grin that she knew he loved.

"I am so impressive!" He argued, frowning at her. Rose broke into a fit of giggles and a moment later he joined her. When their laughter stopped he helped her into a sitting position and enveloped her in a gentle hug, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. She was surprised for a moment, but wrapped her arms around his shoulders, leaning her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry for how I've been behaving, Rose," he muttered, "I guess I'm just scared."

"Scared of what?" she asked, pulling back to look at his face.

"That the universe will try to take you from me," he admitted, "I can't lose you, Rose. At the end of the day you're all I have and that scared me to death because I can't have you forever." He let go of her, his hands trailing down her arms, causing her to shiver.

"You can have me for my forever," Rose promised him, catching his hands as they arrived at hers.

He smiled weakly turning his head towards the door, "I should go see what's up with Donna."

Rose nodded, "And I should probably put a top on." As if only realising Rose's state of dress now the Doctor glanced down at her chest, taking note of her lacy purple bra before jumping away from her.

"Right, yes, that would be advisable," He nodded vigorously before thumbing the door, "I'll just go..."

Rose watched him as he made his way to the door but called him back before he stepped through it.

"Oh, and Doctor?"

"Yes, Rose?"

"Thanks," She smiled at him as he nodded and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

She raised a hand to the mark on her chest, tracing it lightly with her fingers. _It was quite fitting_, she mused as she glanced down at it, _it's like the scar from TARDIS key is the key to my heart_. Smiling, she reached for her hoodie and made her way to her room.

* * *

The Doctor checked over the TARDIS console, Rose's scream echoing in his mind as he worked. He berated himself for allowing her to help fly the TARDIS when he knew it wasn't safe. It seemed that no matter where they were she would always be in danger. '_You can have me for my forever,'_ Her words ran through his mind as he estimated the damage done to the console. He wanted her for her forever, _needed_ her for her forever but he couldn't have her for his forever and that kills him. He was going to have to break his promise, he was going to send her home, he decided. No matter how much he didn't want to let her go, it's the only way that he can guarantee that she'll be safe. He'll find a planet and let her live there with her mum and Pete.

His stomach plummeted as he thought of Pete. He didn't know where to go about even beginning to look for him, but he did know that it was all tied up with Donna.

Jackie and Donna were staring across the expanse of London when the Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS to join them. He stood next to Donna looking out at the city that he loved so much. Earth time it had been around 7 months since the Battle of Canary Wharf and looking around now you would never know of the horrors that had taken place. But the Doctor knew that even if everything looked fine on the surface, the scars ran deeper. He thought of Rose, this city was Rose; vibrant and colourful, never stopping, never fading, always laughing, always loving. He would never be able to come back here without her on his mind.

"Is Rose okay?" Jackie asked in concern as the Doctor continued to look out across the rooftops of London. He tore his eyes away from the landscape before him and focused on Jackie, her eyes full of worry and love. Good, old Jackie.

"She's fine, she's fine, she..." He swallowed, not able to complete his sentence as he thought of the burn on her chest, her perfect skin marred by his own ship. "The... the shock from the TARDIS burnt her key to her chest. She's going to have a scar from where it stuck to her skin, I'm sorry."

Jackie nodded when he finished and turned to face the TARDIS. The Doctor raised his eyebrows, surprised that he didn't even get so much as a filthy look from her.

"I should go check on her, I'm sure she's worried about Pete," Jackie caught the look on the Doctor's face and sighed. "You didn't tell her did you?" The Doctor shook his head. In all honesty it hadn't even occurred to him to tell Rose about Pete, he was too preoccupied with ensuring her safety.

Muttering to herself about useless aliens Jackie walked back into the TARDIS, slipping inside and shutting the door quietly behind her.

When the Doctor turned back to Donna he saw that she was still staring out across the city.

"You all right?" he asked, noting her tense body and solemn face.

"Doesn't matter," She shrugged, smiling sadly as she watched the busy city.

"Did we miss it?"

"Yeah,"

"Well, you can book another date," he suggested, although he couldn't help but feel that Donna getting married was all part of the plan that somehow transported her into his ship. What the plan was though, he really had no clue.

"Course we can," Donna said, her tone of voice falsely cheerful.

"Still got the honeymoon," he pointed out, trying to be optimistic.

"It's just a holiday now,"

"Yeah... yeah... sorry..."

"It's not your fault," Donna replied, looking up at him for the first time.

"Oh! That's a change," The Doctor laughed.

"Wish we had a time machine. Then we could go back and get it right."

"Yeah...yeah... But, even if I did, I couldn't go back on someone's personal timeline. Apparently," Donna looked at him suspiciously but didn't say anything. She walked to the edge and sat down, dangling her feet over the edge. The Doctor noticed her goosebumps on her arms and shrugged out of his jacket, placing it around her shoulders as he joined her.

"God, you're skinny. This wouldn't fit a rat," she quipped.

"Oh and you'd better put this on," he said, pulling out a bio-damper from his pocket. Donna's eyes widened in shock and a little bit of anger.

"Oh, do you have to rub it in?"

"Those creatures can trace you. This is a bio-damper. Should keep you hidden," he told her, "With this ring, I thee bio-damp." He slid it on her finger, trying not to focus on the image of him doing this to Rose with an actual ring that floated into his mind.

"For better or for worse," Donna said, amusement in her voice. "So, come on then. Robot Santas - what are they for?"

"Ah, your basic robo-scavenger. The Father Christmas stuff is just a disguise," The Doctor explained, "They're trying to blend in. We met them last Christmas. "

"Why, what happened then?"

" Great big spaceship? Hovering over London? You didn't notice?" he looked at her confused. Was her memory being tampered with?

"I had a bit of a hangover," she told him._ Humans, _he thought and he had to stop himself from rolling his eyes in fear of being slapped again. Instead he changed the subject.

"We spent Christmas Day just over there," he said, nodding in the direction of the Powell Estate, "It was my first one with her. It was..." he trailed off, memories of Rose's smiling face flitting through his brain. He could feel the pain that leaving her behind would cause him already.

"You and Rose... are you...?" Donna asked. The Doctor didn't answer.

"Question is, what do camouflaged robot mercenaries want with you? And how did you get inside the TARDIS? I don't know..." he eyed her up and down, as if the answer would be hidden in her white gown. He contemplated her for a moment longer before reaching into her jacket and scanning her. He knew he wouldn't find anything but if it kept his mind from drifting back to the fact that Rose would be gone soon then he wasn't going to stop. _"_What's your job?" he asked.

"I'm a secretary," he replied, the buzzing from his sonic making her uncomfortable.

"It's weird, I mean - you're not special, you're not powerful, you're not connected, you're not clever, you're not important..." The Doctor rambled, not really taking note of the fact that his thoughts were spewing from his lips unchecked.

"Now you're just asking for a slap," Donna scolded, before she whacked the sonic aside, "Stop bleeping me!"

"What kind of secretary?" the Doctor asked.

"I'm at HC Clements. It's where I met Lance. I was temping." The Doctor only half listened as Donna launched into a story of how she and Lance met. He focused more on how jealous he was of human relationships. Why wouldn't he have that, the '_street corner at 2a.m. sharing a taxi home' _kind of relationship, the '_coffee at work'_ type of life? Shaking himself out of his reverie he turned his attention back to Donna.

"...So that's how it started, me and him - one cup of coffee. That was it."

"When was this?" he asked.

"Six months ago."

"Bit quick, to get married..." he noted and then realised that he had asked Rose to live with him after less than 24hours.

"Well... he insisted..." He listened as Donna told him about her engagement but couldn't stop the torrent of images of Rose in a white gown and Jackie in a gaudy hat that circled his brain.

To distract himself he changed the topic of the conversation back to safer waters.

"What does HC Clements do?"

"Oh, security systems, you know... entry codes, ID cards - that sort of thing," she explained, "If you ask me, it's a posh name for 'locksmiths'."

"Keys..." the Doctor mused, and another image of Rose's burn sprang to mind. He hung his head in shame. She seemed okay with the scar at the moment but he supposed that was just as a result of her scrambled brain, she would probably be asking to leave in the morning. He may not even have to tell her to.

"Anyway," Donna said, "Enough of my CV. Come on, it's time to face the consequences. Oh, this is gonna be so shaming. You can do the explaining, Martian-boy."

"Yeah, I'm not from Mars," he told her, seriously as he stood up and offered her a hand.

"Oh, I had this great big reception all planned. Everyone's gonna be heartbroken," Donna said sadly.

They heard the TARDIS doors creak open and Jackie stepped out with Rose close behind her. Rose had changed into the top that Donna had shoved in his face earlier which brought to the surface memories of her lips on his; he shivered and hoped nobody noticed. The Doctor noted Rose's red-rimmed eyes and frowned. The blonde duo walked toward them and Rose took his hand, twining her fingers with his.

"You alright?" he asked her, concern etched on his features.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she smiled up at him, putting on a brave face even though he could see right through it.

"I'll find him, Rose, I promise you," he cupped her cheek with his hand and stroked away a tear that has escaped her eye.

"I know you will," she whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder. He pulled her into a tight hug and she hissed as her tender chest touched off his jacketless body. He pulled back, smiling apologetically before turning to Jackie and Donna, both of whom were watching the interaction with interest.

"To the party?" he asked and Donna nodded.

"To the party."

_**TBC...**_

_**Will the Doctor really send Rose home? Will Donna get the answers she's looking for? Will Pete be okay? Will Jackie slap somebody? To find out, tune in next time for another installment of CAUGHT FIRE!**_

_**Oh, and review :) **_

_**Katie x**_


	7. Damsel in Distress

**Thanks to The-Hufflepuff-Death-Eater, , MrsUkki, NewDrWhoFan, BrittishMenHaveHotAccents, Cbarge, Dreamcatcher49, PolarBride, konekoxsasaki, A Who Down in Whoville and Ayjah for reviewing the last chapter. (I've decided to start doing these things because I love seeing my name in them, haha)**

**I'm actually quite proud that I managed to get this written within the deadline I gave myself. I only have one exam left so after that the speedy updates will hopefully follow. I wrote half of this in the last hour so I think I can safely assume that I've gotten my mojo back. **

**I hope you enjoy. A lot of it was inspired by Adele's album, '21'. It's stunning and brings out the romantic in me. Although, that's not exactly hard to do. Anyway, allons-y!**

* * *

The reception was in full swing when the Doctor, Rose, Jackie and Donna walked through the double doors and onto the dance floor. 'Merry Christmas Everyone' was blaring over the speakers and crowd swayed to the beat. The four of them stared at the party, thunderstruck by the merriment that was taking place when Donna was supposed to be missing. Nobody so much as glanced at them until Donna made a loud, unimpressed gasp which caused a few people to notice them. Bit by bit people ceased dancing in order to stare at the four shell-shocked figures by the door.

"You had the reception without me?" Donna asked with anger and hurt evident in her voice.

"Donna..." A black man said with concern in his voice. The Doctor presumed he was the groom. "What happened to ya?"

"You had the reception _without_ me?" she repeated, her fury and outrage made the Doctor pity the man who was standing in front of her, despite the fact that he had partied when his bride was missing. He could still feel the ghost of Donna' slap on his cheek and decided to try and lighten the mood so that Lance's cheek didn't meet the same fate.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor and this is Rose," he said smiling. He pointed to Rose who gave a little wave. Jackie coughed expectantly and the Doctor's smile faded somewhat. "Oh, and this is Jackie." He added, not at all pleased with this new addition to his introduction.

Donna turned to glare at him.

"They had the reception _without _me!" she said.

"Yes, I'd gathered," he replied and felt Rose's elbow dig into his side telling him that he was acting rude.

"Well, it was all paid for," said a blonde woman stepping away from Donna's groom, "why not?"

"Thank you, Nerys!" Donna replied, annoyance evident in the sharp tone she used. Rose eyed Nerys up and down, taking note of her bad-tan and make-up. She didn't like this woman at all, or the way her gaze had moved onto the Doctor, eyeing him up and down. Rose took a small step towards him, slipping her hand into his.

"Well, what were we supposed to do? I got your silly little message in the end - "I'm on Earth"? Very funny," said a woman, who was apparently Donna's mother, as she stalked forward "What the hell happened? How did you do it? I mean, what's the trick because I'd love to know-"

The whole room started to talk at the same time until not a single voice could be distinguished. Questions and comments merged into incomprehensible babble and Donna's eyes widened until she burst into tears, pulling off a trick she hadn't used since she was 8-years-old. The Doctor and Rose looked on in amazement as everyone's gaze softened, except for Nerys', and Lance stepped forward to comfort his bride. Jackie, however, rolled her eyes. After 19 years of living with a rebellious daughter she could spot a fake cry a mile off, although, she had to hand it to Donna, this one was a good one.

Eventually the crowd dispersed and the music started playing again. Donna was swept away by her family to dance which left the Doctor, Rose and Jackie standing by the door. Rose was watching her mother with concern as Jackie stared around the party scene, a sombre look on her face. She thought back to when Jackie had told her that Pete was missing. She couldn't remember ever seeing her mother cry like that before. Dropping the Doctor's hand, she reached out to grasp her mother's. Jackie turned to her and gave a watery smile, which turned to a grimace as the tears escaped.

"Oh, mum!" Rose whispered, pulling her into an embrace. Jackie shook in silent sobs as Rose rubbed soothing circles on her back. The Doctor looked on with a sad, guilty expression on his face. He knew deep down that it wasn't his fault but her couldn't help but feel somewhat responsible. If he hadn't have let Pete get in the taxi, if he had convinced Donna to jump sooner, if he had properly disabled the Santa...

Rose seemed to sense his distress because she pulled back from her mother, still squeezing her hand tightly, and smiled at him. Jackie sniffled, muttered something about 'going to the loo' and sauntered off.

"Are you okay?" she asked him, taking a step closer.

"Me? I'm fine," he replied, plastering a grin on his face. Her eyes narrowed but she didn't push him any further, something which he was very grateful for. It would only lead him onto thoughts that didn't bear thinking about. Thoughts like leaving her behind; about what he was going to say to her when he did; like the 'forever' they were never going to have. _Well, there goes not thinking about it._

"I'm going to go check on my mum," she told him and he nodded, grateful to be pulled out of his depressing thoughts, "And I think I need to put on some more of that Beloolial thingie."

"Bilalian," he corrected, glancing down at her chest and noticing for the first time that he hadn't put a plaster on it. Reaching into his suit pocket, he pulled out a first aid kit and handed it to her. She giggled at the thought of it fitting in there and took it from him.

"Everything's in there, including the balm," he said, and she nodded, turning to head towards the bathroom. "And make sure you put a plaster on it!" he called after her.

Sighing, he made his way towards the bar. He leant against it as he surveyed the scene before him. Everybody was dancing happily to a song he didn't recognise and he smiled at the bad moves. He located Donna dancing with Lance and smirked at her particularly bad shimmies. _Humans..._ he mused, _the world could be ending and still, they dance._

"_The world doesn't end if the Doctor dances,"_

Rose's words from so long ago echoed in his mind. He thought back to the time where everything was so much simpler. His feelings, their relationship, their future... He glanced away from Donna and spotted a man dancing with a blonde woman. The man tossed her back, and suddenly the Doctor was far away on a different planet, remembering the feel of Rose in his arms as she swooned.

He might never feel that warm weight in his arms again, and the very thought of it made his nose sting. He had never been so attached to somebody in his life. Sure, he'd lo- _had deep feelings_ for people before but never had they consumed him so fully that he ached for them when they were only a room away. But he did, he ached for her, his plus-one, his companion, his Rose. He ached for her hand in his with every atom of his body, and it terrified him.

It was for the best, he told himself, sending her home was the right thing to do. It was for her own good, she'll be safer without his dangerous life. She may not see it at first but she'd move on. They all did in the end.

He spotted her then, across the dance floor. She was talking to some bloke who the Doctor didn't recognise. She had a tight grin on her face and seemed to be trying to move away from the blonde man before her.

The Doctor straightened as he assessed the situation. Rose turned away from the man, trying to walk away, and gave the Doctor the view he needed to jump into action. The blonde bloke had his hand wrapped around her wrist, her cream skin turning pink from the pressure of his grip. The Doctor stalked across the dance floor and was at her side in seconds.

"I suggest you let her go," he said darkly, his voice low and threatening. He could smell the drink and cheap smoke wafting from the man's crinkled suit. When he didn't immediately let go of Rose's wrist, the Doctor took a step forward. "Now."

"Maybe she wants to dance with me, mate," he slurred, tugging Rose closer. The Doctor snarled and Rose's eyes widened. He seemed ready to punch the man before her. The Doctor could feel his anger bubbling beneath the surface and tried to suppress it. It wasn't like him to get so possessive over Rose. She wasn't his. He had no right to feel t these things for her. So, why did he?

Taking a deep breath he turned towards Rose's shocked face.

"Do you want to dance with this man, Rose?" he asked her, his dark eyes consuming her wide ones. She was incapable of speech as she surveyed the anger and possession in his eyes and gave him a shaky nod.

"Right then, _mate_," he said, turning back to the man in question, "She's given you your answer, now let her go or you're going to wish you never had laid a finger on her skin." The Doctor's eyes burned with the Oncoming Storm and the man released her immediately, stumbling away as fast as his stubby legs would carry him.

The Doctor glared at the man as he made his retreat until he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned to meet Rose's soft eyes and his anger faded.

"My hero," she teased, her tongue sticking out between her teeth. The Doctor realised then that his act of chivalry may have looked like something different altogether. He may have looked like he was staking his claim. Of course, that's what he was doing- but Rose couldn't know that.

"Oh, well, you know me," he said, laughing nervously, "Can't help but save a damsel in distress."

Rose flinched. Ouch. Her mind slipped back to Madame de Pompadour, the beautiful Reinette Poisson. Of course he was just saving her, not claiming her, not defending her virtue, not telling the whole room that she was his and nobody else's. Nope, he wasn't declaring his right to be the only one to dance with her, just rescuing his jeopardy friendly friend.

She should be glad, she supposed, that at least he cared enough to save her in the first place. Not many people had a friend like that. Someone who wouldn't just jump off the bridge after you, but would make sure that they landed first to catch you.

"Rose?" the Doctor prompted. She had been silent for a few minutes, just staring into the distance, a sad, contemplative expression on her face.

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay? You've been quiet for a slightly unnerving amount of time," he laughed at her surprised expression.

"Yeah, I'm alright," she assured him, but then added, "I'm always alright."

The Doctor's eyes widened at once. Rose knew better than anybody that that excuse was his defence mechanism. It was futile using it on her, but why was she now using it on him? But before he could say anything Jackie came running into the room, shouting both his and Rose's names.

"Mum?" Rose asked as Jackie bustled over to them, elbowing Nerys in what didn't look like an accident.

"It's those shark thingies!" Jackie exclaimed, pointing her finger at the door.

"What?" the Doctor asked, confused. "What sharks?"

"Mum, calm down," Rose soothed, placing an hand on her mother's shoulder. Jackie breathed and tried again.

"It's them santa shark thingies from last Christmas! They're outside!"

"Can't be!" The Doctor exclaimed, "I gave Donna a bio-damper. How could they have found her?" His head swivelled around and he caught site of a large Christmas tree.

"Oh, no," he whispered. Rose followed his gaze and gasped.

"Not again," Jackie groaned, as the Doctor sped off towards Donna.

Rose ran towards the tree, ushering the young children away from the shiny decorations. Jackie followed Rose's lead, pulling anyone she could reach away from the tree. She decided that, should she make it out of this, that she would never have another Christmas tree. Her thoughts travelled to Pete and she grimaced. Where was he?

Lost in her thoughts, she grabbed hold of the nearest person and pulled them roughly away from the tree.

"Let go of me, you old biddy!" the person in question screeched, slapping Jackie's hand away from her. Jackie swivelled to face the rude person and recognised Nerys. Not needing to think twice she raised her hand and hit the tart across the face. She had spotted the filthies that she had send her Rose earlier, and was not at all happy in the way she had treated Donna on her wedding day. So, she took satisfaction in the sharp sound the contact emitted.

Jackie turned back to the tree and noticed that the baubles were now floating in mid air. She glanced down and saw the Doctor holding Rose close as the baubles threatened to... well, to do something. What threat could baubles really hold? As soon as the thought made its way through Jackie's brain, mayhem descended.

_Great_, she thought darkly, _she was going to be killed by a bauble from Tescos._

**I nearly forgot to make Jackie slap someone but I managed to squeeze it in at the end! **

**Please review! It will give me good luck in my Home Ec exam tomorrow! :) Katie xx**


	8. Dinosaurs?

**Sorry, I know this is late. Also, I know I sound like a broken record but I _am_ trying to get updates up faster. I got distracted by a boy ;)**

* * *

It was pandemonium, utter pandemonium. Explosions were going off left, right and centre. People were falling, screaming, crying. Rose felt the Doctor take her hand, holding it so tight that it nearly hurt, pulling her towards the sound system. She tried to stand up and pick her mother out from the chaos before them but the Doctor pushed her back down.

"Stay here," he told her. She opened her mouth to argue but he pressed his hand over her mouth, "Please," There was a sense of urgency in his eyes and Rose had no option but to nod her head and obey. He nodded too before jumping up onto the platform.

"Oi, Santa!" He called to the line of them beside the bar. "Word of advice, if you're attacking a man with a sonic screwdriver," He held it up in the air in demonstration before he picked up the microphone and held it to his mouth, "Don't let him near the sound system."

A high-pitched squeal echoed through the room as the Doctor shoved his sonic into the speaker. Rose clutched at her ears as the noise threatened to burst her eardrums. She heard a clutter of metal and the noise stopped.

Poking her head out from behind the stage she saw the Doctor inspecting the Santas which were in pieces on the floor. She was momentarily annoyed that he had left her behind the stage before she looked at the bigger picture. People were lying on the floor, clutching body parts in agony while others did their best to help them. Donna was checking on the children who were frozen, staring wide-eyed at the destruction around them.

Rose hopped out from behind her hiding place and made her way over to a woman who was clutching her bleeding arm.

"Are you okay?" she asked, inspecting the arm. She wasn't great at first aid but she had picked up a thing or two living with the Doctor.

"Yeah, I just – I just fell," the woman whispered, still in shock. "Have you seen my children?"

"What do they look like?" Rose asked, as she took off her belt and tightened it around the cut.

Before the woman could answer a chorus of "MUMMY" sounded and three young children ran to their mother's side. They surrounded her, each trying to get the best angle to cuddle their mother from.

Turning away from the heart-warming reunion, Rose spotted her own mother helping Donna's mother to her feet. She seemed unharmed so Rose turned her attention back to the Doctor.

He was staring at a remote, trying to understand its wiring. He must have figured it out because he suddenly grinned.

"Look at that," he said in wonder, "remote control for the decorations but there's a second remote control for the robots," he examined one of the heads, "Someone's taking possession."

Rose stepped towards him, looking at the robot pieces over his shoulder.

"Who'd ya think it is?" she asked him as he stood up to face her, "They have Da- they have Pete."

"I dunno, it could be anyone," he said.

"Well, it's got to be someone who knows about the Sycorax," Rose said, causing the Doctor to raise an eyebrow.

"Why'd you say that?"

"Well, it's just... Robot Santas? Can't exactly be a coincidence, can it?"

The Doctor grinned.

"Rose Tyler, have I ever told you that you're brilliant?" he asked, his eyes sparkling.

"Not in the last twenty four hours, no," she said, giving him her tongue in the cheek smile.

"Well, you're brilliant!" he grinned, pressing a brief kiss to her forehead. Something he hadn't done since his Dumbo years.

"Oi! If you two are finished flirting, people are hurt!" came the voice of Donna Noble.

The pair span around, having forgotten that a world existed outside of their bubble.

"Yes, right, sorry," the Doctor apologised, "Can I borrow your phone?"

Donna's eyes narrowed before she yelled, "POCKETS!"

"Oh, right, yes," he said, "You must invest in some of those!" Rose elbowed him and he whispered, "Rude?"

"Yup," she replied, hiding her grin by pressing her face into his arm.

"Jackie!" he cried then, turning to face the woman in question, "Do you have your phone?"

"Yeah, but I ain't got any credit on it," she said, pulling out her phone and tossing it over. The Doctor stared down at it distastefully.

"You've... bedazzled it," he commented taking in the pink and purple plastic jewels that covered her phone.

"I think it looks nice," Jackie argued.

"Nice and tacky," he muttered to Rose as he flipped it open and searched 'H.C. Clements'. Sure enough, Torchwood popped up on the screen. He flipped the phone closed and tossed it to Jackie who caught it with an indignant look on her face. She quite liked the jewels, though they made it look classy.

"Torchwood?" Rose asked, "But I thought we shut them down?"

"We did, but H.C. Clements was owned by them. The answer probably lies there, hiding away," the Doctor said grimly, "But I don't understand! How could they have found Donna? She's wearing a bio-damper."

"We should try the domestic approach; you know, ask around and see if anyone noticed anything. Maybe they got a picture of Donna disappearing," Rose said and the Doctor grinned. She noticed a cameraman near the door and smiled knowingly, "I'm sure he'll have it!" The Doctor followed her gaze and laughed.

"Rose Tyler, what would I do without you, eh?" he asked.

"Well, your hand would be pretty lonely for one," she smiled. But her smile then turned to a frown as his expression clouded over and his eyes darkened. He nodded curtly before scuttling off towards the cameraman, leaving her to stare at the space where he had been.

* * *

"But that looks like... Huon particles?" The Doctor whispered in amazement as he watched Donna evaporate into a cloud of gold on the tiny side screen of the cameraman's camera. "Well, that explains the bio-damper, huon particles haven't existed for billions of years."

"What's that?" asked the man, still chuckling about how he was going to sell the clip to 'You've Been Framed'.

"That's impossible, that's... ancient! Huon energy doesn't exist anymore," The Doctor focused on Donna who was helping Rose lift an old man into a chair. His hearts plummeted, this could not end well. Donna was supposed to be starting her life with Lance, not facing a poisoning that was likely going to be fatal for her. "It's time I sort this out," The Doctor said, darkly to the confused man beside him, "What's your name?"

"Lorenzo," he said, weakly.

"Lorenzo?" the Doctor asked, surprised, "Allons-y Lorenzo... nah, doesn't have the same ring," he trailed off before picking up his previous sentence as if he had not become distracted, " because it's bad enough that they messed with Donna, but they messed with Rose and I will not stand to see her lose something else, not when she's lost so much already." With that he strode towards Rose and Jackie, grabbing Rose's hand and towing her towards the door.

"Donna!" he called as he left the room with Rose and Jackie behind him.

Donna glanced at her mother before following the mysterious trio out the door, closely followed by Lance.

* * *

The five of them were squashed into Lance's car as they sped towards the office of H.C. Clements. The Doctor tried to ignore the heat radiating off Rose's body as she pressed up against is side in the back of the car. She was holding his hand, something that they had recently started doing more than usual as of late. They used to just do it when they were walking but now it was all the time. She was right, his hand would be lonely once she was gone.

He increased the pressure of his grip as he realised how much he would miss it. She squeezed his hand back and looked up at him quizzically. He gave her a false smile, one that he knew she could see through but would hopefully not question.

Her eyes searched his for a moment but she seemed to let it drop. Neither of them noticed Jackie observing the transaction between them.

As soon as the car pulled to a stop the Doctor threw the door open and raced towards the entrance. Easily sonicing it open and racing into the lobby. The others were close at his heels and as they piled into the elevator and Donna pressed the button for her floor, the explanations began.

"This might just be a locksmiths, but H C Clements was brought up twenty three years ago by the Torchwood Institute," The Doctor said hurriedly as he started to look through some of the files on a computer.

"Who are they?" Donna asked, and four heads turned to look at her.

"They were behind the battle of Canary Wharf," Rose said, standing next to her mother and placing a comforting hand on her arm. Donna only started blankly at her. "... Cyberman invasion?" she said, trying to jog Donna's memory.

"Skies over London full of Daleks?" The Doctor asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, I was in Spain," Donna said, as if this were a fully acceptable explanation. The Doctor only looked at her as if she had said, 'my dog at my homework.'

"They had Cybermen in Spain," Jackie piped up, remembering the ghosts shows that she had seen. It all seemed like so long ago when in reality, for them, it had only been a couple of days and the wounds were still fresh.

"Scuba diving?" Donna asked.

"That big picture, Donna - you keep on missing it," he frowned, as he raced to another computer. "Torchwood was destroyed, but H C Clements stayed in business. I think... someone else came in and took over the operation." Rose came to stand beside him as he searched through another computer.

"But what do they want with Donna?" she asked him and Donna nodded in agreement. The Doctor turned to face Donna, working his hardest to keep the sadness out of his voice. He avoided looking at Rose, knowing all too well that she'd see through him in an instant. He didn't know how she had come to know him so well.

"Somehow you've been dosed with Huon energy. And that's a problem because Huon energy hasn't existed since the Dark times," he explained slowly, making sure that she was following. "The only place you'd find a Huon particle now is a remnant in the heart of the TARDIS. See? That's what happened. Say..." he reached to his side and grabbed a mug," that's the TARDIS and..." he picked up a pencil, "And that's you. The particles inside you activated. The two sets of particles magnetised and WHAP!" he threw the pencil into the mug,"You were pulled inside the TARDIS."

"I'm a pencil inside a mug?" Donna asked, her voice weak and vulnerable for the first time since she had appeared on the TARDIS a few hours beforehand.

"Yes, you are," the Doctor agreed, "4H, sums you up!" He glanced at Rose, sending her a look to show her not to mention anything to Donna, before flaunting off to look at some more of the work.

Donna stood staring at the space where the Doctor had been until Rose came up beside her.

"Are you okay?" she asked gently, smiling warmly at the terrified bride beside her. "I know he can be a bit much but he means well."

"Are you and him...?" Donna asked, turning to survey Rose's reaction. The young blonde's eyes were sad as she took thought about Donna's question. She didn't respond, only smiled, as she turned her attention back to the man in question who was strolling out of the room.

When the three of them caught up with him he was outside the lift, waiting for it to arrive.

"There's a whole floor which doesn't exist on the official plans. So what's down there, then?" he asked as he stepped into the lift. Rose followed him inside without hesitation and surveyed the panel with him.

"Are you telling me this building's got a secret floor?" Lance asked.

"No, I'm showing you this building's got a secret floor," The Doctor said as he took out his sonic screwdriver.

"It needs a key," Jackie pointed out as she stepped into the lift alongside the other two.

"He doesn't," Rose said at the same time as the Doctor said, "I don't." And, as if to punctuate their point, the Doctor aimed the sonic at the lock. It clicked and he smiled, turning to face the almost married couple.

"Right then, thanks you two, we can handle this, see you later," he grinned, feeling Rose slip her hand into his, ready for their new adventure.

"No chance, Martian!" Donna said, moving to stand into the cramped lift, "You're the man who keeps saving my life; I ain't letting you out of my sight."

"Going down," the Doctor said.

"Lance?" Donna said, looking pointedly at him.

"Maybe I should go to the police..." he said, turning to leave. Jackie raised an eyebrow at his reluctance; there was something fishy about this guy.

"Inside," Donna demanded and Lance stepped in beside her, his face clearly showing his discomfort and reluctance at being there.

"To honour and obey?" the Doctor joked, attempting to lighten the mood. Rose snickered into his shoulder and even Jackie cracked a smile.

"Tell me about it, mate."

"OI!" Donna cried, indignantly.

The short ride down was silent, everybody was wondering what could lie beneath this building. The Doctor was massaging Rose's thumb with his and she wondered if he even noticed. Eventually the lift dinged and the five occupants stepped out into a dark corridor, lit only by green lights. It certainly looked like trouble waiting to happen, nothing good ever comes from rooms lit in green.

"Where are we? Well, what goes on down here?" Donna asked, as she looked around her, not liking this corridor one bit.

"Let's find out..." the Doctor said, pulling Rose out of the lift behind him.

"Do you think Mr. Clements knows about this place?" Donna asked them.

"The mysterious H C Clements? I think he's part of it," he replied, grimly.

"Is Pete here?" Jackie asked quietly, watching the Doctor's reaction carefully. Rose's grip tightened on his hand and he squeezed back with equal pressure, knowing that she needed this comfort and that it was all he could offer her.

"Yes, they obviously knew that we'd follow to find him," he said, "All we need to do is find out who is in charge and we'll find him and find out why they needed Donna," Jackie nodded, taking a deep breath and trying to look optimistic.

"Oh, look!" The Doctor exclaimed happily, "transport!"

Rose who had been watching her mother intently was suddenly pulled towards four Segways which were parked to their left.

"Brilliant!" he said, grinning from ear to ear, "Hop on, Rose!"

"What, with you?" she asked him, raising an eyebrow as he motioned towards the nearest Segway.

"Yeah, with me, now come on, no time to dilly-dally, Rose Tyler," he ordered with a cheeky grin, helping her to step onto the Segway before turning to the others who were stepping onto their respective Segways. "Ready, everyone? Jackie?"

"Ready," chimed Donna and Lance.

"Do you think I could keep this?" Jackie questioned as she leaned forward experimentally.

The Doctor laughed and stepped up behind Rose, his feet on either side of hers, his chest pressed up against her back and his hands covering hers.

"Ready?" he breathed in her ear, trying to be inconspicuous as he inhaled the smell of her coconut shampoo, committing to memory so that when she's gone he'll remember. She breaths back a 'yes' and he gently presses them forward. As they moved along the eerie corridor the Doctor kept himself pressed against Rose, not willing to give up her heat and softness just yet.

Jackie watched as the Doctor pressed himself up against her daughter. Usually, if she saw a man pressing as intimately as he was up against Rose she would slap them into a new century but with the Doctor it was different, and she couldn't remember when she decided that although she supposed it was ever since he brought her home after their trip to the parallel universe. She knew he wasn't doing it out of lust, although that was clearly present; it was out of sheer need to be near her, and Jackie thought she had a good idea as to why he was so adamant on holding her close lately. Maybe she would slap have to him into a new century after all...

Jackie was broken out of her contemplations by the Donna, Rose and the Doctor laughing loudly at their funny situation. She smiled too but frowned when she caught site of Lance's face. Something was definitely up with him. She couldn't remember him once engaging with any of them besides the Doctor and Donna, and even then he didn't seem very happy about it. She eyed him suspiciously until the Doctor called them all to a stop.

They were outside a door that stated 'Torchwood Personnel Only'. The Doctor stepped off the Segway, taking hold of Rose's waist and helping her down after him. The other's hopped of theirs as well as he made his way to the door and span the handle. The door opened to reveal a rusty ladder.

"Going up?" Rose asked, although she already knew the answer.

"Oh, yes," he said, smiling cheekily at her, "Wait here. Just need to get my bearings. Don't wander off!" He pointed at her sternly before ascending the ladder.

"Donna," Lance said, and all three women turned to look at him, "have you thought about this? Properly? I mean, this is serious! What the hell are we gonna do?" Rose felt slightly offended at his lack of faith in the Doctor as Lance looked worriedly at Donna.

"Oh, I thought July," replied the lady in white, obviously misinterpreting what Lance had said. She smiled brightly before she turned her attention back to the Doctor who was now descending the ladder.

"Where are we?" Rose asked him.

"Thames flood barrier!" he said, cheerfully, "Right on top of us. Torchwood snuck in and built this place underneath." He set off further down the corridor and the others followed obediently.

"What, there's like a secret base hidden underneath a major London landmark?" Donna asked, shocked.

"Oh, don't worry," Rose smiled, thinking back to the London Eye, "happens to us all the time." They entered a lab and the four humans gasped while the Doctor only looked like Christmas had come early. Rose and Jackie rolled their eyes as he ran from test tube to test tube examining them with gusto.

"Oh, look at this!" he said, running towards a bubbling tube, "Stunning!"

"What does it do?" Donna asked, asking the question that everyone was thinking.

"Particle extrusion," he said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world, "Hold on," He ran over to another tube and tapped it. "Brilliant. They've been manufacturing Huon particles! Because my people got rid of Huons, they unravelled the atomic structure."

"Your people?" Lance asked, "Who are they? What company do you represent?"

"Oh, we're freelancers and Jackie's been put in our care," Jackie shrieked indignantly but he ignored her, "But this lot are rebuilding them. They've been using the river! Extruding them through a flat hydrogen base so they've got the end result," The Doctor plucked a small sample of the liquid from the tube beside him and held it up, "Huon particles in liquid form."

Donna observed the object in his hand with fear in her eyes. Jackie thought that Lance should go comfort her but he was just watching from the sidelines. Instead she walked forward, placing a hand on her arm. Donna seemed to appreciate the gesture because she smiled at the older woman beside her. Rose walked next to the Doctor, poking the thing in his hands with her fingernail.

"And that's what's inside me?" Donna asked.

The Doctor gently turned a knob on the top of the test tube and the contents began to glow gold. Rose gasped as Donna too started to emanate a golden haze.

"Oh, my God!" Donna cried, looking at herself in shock. Jackie tightened her grip on the woman's arm, reminding her that she was safe.

"Because the particles are inert," the Doctor said, seemingly to himself, "They need something living to catalyse inside and that's you. Saturate the body and then..." he trailed off, realising something, "HA!" The three women all jumped out of their skins as the Doctor suddenly became hyperactive and words began to spew at a million miles an hour out of his mouth.

"The wedding!" he cried, "Yes, you're getting married, that's it! Best day of your life, walking down the aisle! oh, your body's a battleground! There's a chemical war inside! Adrenaline, acetylcholine, WHAM go the endorphins, oh you're cooking!" His hands wound into his hair as he continued to rant away, "Yeah, you're like a walking oven, a pressure cooker, a microwave, all churning away; the particles reach boiling point, SHAZAM!"

**SLAP!**

The Doctor stepped back, shocked, and Donna and Jackie looked at each other, both their hands still raised in the air, having each slapped one of the Doctor's cheeks. Rose was trying not to laugh.

"What did I do this time?" the Doctor asked, both of his cheeks flaming red.

"Are you enjoying this?" Donna said, looking at him with anger and hurt in her eyes.

The Doctor looked down, ashamed.

"Right, just tell me," Donna said, her voice low and shaking, "these particles, are they dangerous? Am I safe?" The Doctor glanced briefly at Rose before answering.

"Yes,"

"Doctor," Donna said, her voice shaking even more, "if your lot got rid of Huon particles, why did they do that?"

"Because they were deadly," he said, his voice low and apologetic.

"Oh, my God," Donna gasped and still, Jackie noted, Lance did not step forward.

"I'll sort it out, Donna," the Doctor vowed, stepping forward and taking her arm softly, "Whatever's been done to you, I'll reverse it, trust me." Donna looked at Rose who nodded encouraging, showing her that the Doctor would do it, and nodded slowly at the Doctor.

Suddenly there was a loud crash and the one of the walls slid up to reveal a huge room with a giant hole in the middle of the floor. A voice rang out, echoing around them, and the Doctor reached for Rose, pulling her behind him as he looked for the source of the booming voice.

"I HAVE WAITED SO LONG, HIBERNATING AT THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE!"

Lance's eyes widened in horror and he hurriedly retreated through the door they had entered through. Jackie watched him go, disgust evident on her face. _Good riddance, _she thought.

"UNTIL THE SECRET HEART WAS UNCOVERED AND CALLED OUT TO WAKEN!"

The remaining four companions stared around the massive room, taking in the hooded and armed figures that lined the walls. The Doctor stepped towards the hole and Rose grabbed his hand to keep him from getting to close.

"Someone's been digging," the Doctor noted, his voice casual, "Oh, very Torchwood! Drilled by laser!"

"Where does it lead to?" Rose asked him.

"DOWN AND DOWN, ALL THE WAY TO THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH!"

"Really?" the Doctor asked, surprised. "Seriously? What for?"

"Dinosaurs!" Donna exclaimed suddenly and the Doctor span around to face her, his eyebrows raised in confusion.

"What?" he asked.

"Dinosaurs?" she repeated.

"What are you on about, dinosaurs?" he asked, and Rose elbowed him to remind him not to be rude.

"That film, 'Under the Earth', with dinosaurs," she explained to him. "Trying to help!"

"That's not helping,"

"What he means to say," Rose told her, "Is that it's good that you're thinking but that's probably not what's down there."

"No I di- ooph" The Doctor grimaced as Rose dug her elbow into his ribs. He plastered a false grin on his face, "Good idea Donna."

"SUCH A SWEET COUPLE!" Came the voice again, and their heads whipped around trying to find the source.

"Only a madman talks to thin air and trust me," the Doctor said with his voice full of authority. "You don't want to make me mad. Where are you?"

"HIGH IN THE SKY, FLOATING SO HIGH ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT!"

"I didn't come all this way to talk on the intercom! Come on; let's have a look at you!"

"WHO ARE YOU WITH SUCH COMMAND?"

"I'm the Doctor," he said, his voice steeped in his superiority.

"He's the Doctor," Rose echoed, her voice steady despite her fear.

"PREPARE YOUR BEST MEDICINES, DOCTOR-MAN, FOR YOU WILL BE SICK AT HEART!"

* * *

**Taa-daa? I was actually going to do as far as when they get back from the creation of the earth but it would have been too long and I wanted to update tonight as I'm busy for the next few days! But, I have already started chapter 9 and chapter 12 (which I love already!) so hopefully they'll be ready soon, and the chapters in the middle obviously!**

**Please review, it makes me happy :D Love, Katie**


	9. Drink!

**Hello, my ever faithful readers. I know this is a teeny-weeny bit late but I've actually been really busy between school and St. Patrick's day (hope you had a good one, by the way) and boys (they smell) and my internet crashing and... ugh, it's been a stress. **

**Thank you to all who reviews the last two chapters - miriel celeste, Kahlan Amnell, Laurengirlv, juissi, A Who Down in Whoville, Naaer, LaurenTenSmith, NewDrWhoFan, konekoxsasaki, Bstromberg, Ayjah, PolarBride, The-Hufflepuff-Death-Eater, Raven-Dragonlady84, Taylor Grace and scifigeekgirl. This is for you, because if it wasn't for the reviews I never would have wrote this!**

**I hope you enjoy! ^^**

* * *

Rose flinched and Jackie and Donna gasped as a giant, red spider woman appeared before them. They watched in horror as the spider twisted and thrashed, clearly knowing the effect her appearance had on people. The Doctor, however, appeared more horrified that the creature even existed in the first place. He took a step towards it, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"The Racnoss," he said, "But that's impossible! You're one of the Racnoss!"

"Empress of the Racnoss," she corrected. The Doctor seemed to digest this for a moment and his grip on Rose's hand tightened before he dropped it and took a step towards the creature.

"If you're the Empress, where's the rest of the Racnoss?" He asked, his voice loud and unwavering as he addressed the frightening alien. "Or, are you the only one?"

"Such a sharp mind," the Empress praised.

"That's it, the last of your kind," The Doctor said, and Rose could practically hear his brain whirring as he tried to figure out her plan and why it involved Donna. He turned to them then, and explained the situation. "The Racnoss come from the Dark Times, billions of years ago, billions. They were carnivores, omnivores, they devoured whole planets."

He was telling all of them but his eyes were focused on Rose for he knew that if anyone were to say the right thing it would be Rose.

"Racnoss are born starving, is that our fault?"

"Is that... _thing_ saying that it eats people?" Jackie asked, her eyes wide with disgust and fright. The Doctor didn't respond to Jackie, instead her tore his eyes away from Rose and turned to Donna who's eyes were as big as Jackies, but twice as scared.

"H C Clements, did he wear those... those, erm, black and white shoes?"

"He did!" Donna smiled, oblivious to the real meaning behind the Doctor's question. "We used to laugh, we used to call him the fat cat in spats!" Donna smiled until she caught sight of the Doctor pointing towards the ceiling. Donna, Jackie and Rose followed the line of his finger and gasped. There, pointing out from underneath a thick spider's web, was a pair of black and white spats, H.C Clements' spats.

"Oh, my God!" Donna exclaimed.

"The poor man," Rose whispered, her eyes were sad as she stared at the shoes which were still attached to some sort of body. Jackie put a hand to her mouth in horror. Did Pete meet the same fate? Where was he?

"Mm, my Christmas dinner!"

"You shouldn't even exist!" The Doctor exclaimed, disgust evident in his voice. "Way back in history, the Fledgling Empires went to war against the Racnoss," he explained to nobody in particular, "they were wiped out!"

"Nothing ever seems to really be wiped out, does it?" Rose muttered to herself. The Doctor heard he but pretended not to, she was wrong about one thing - _his _race certainly _was _wiped out. The last Time Lord in existence, alone, forever.

Suddenly, much to the four non-spider occupants of the room's delight, Lance appeared on a balcony above the Empress, an axe clutched in his hands. Donna looked like she was about to say something but he motioned for her to stay quiet.

Jackie watched as Lance made his way towards the_ thing_. Maybe, she had been wrong about him. Maybe he did care about Donna as much as he should.

"Except for me," The Empress corrected.

"But that's what I've got inside me, that Huon energy thing," Donna said to the Empress, who made to turn away from her. "Oi! Look at me, lady, I'm talking. Where do I fit in? How comes I get all stacked up with these Huon particles?" The Doctor looked at Donna proudly, he loved to see humans attempt display authority over aliens. It's what he lov- admired so much about Rose, she never allows anyone to talk her down. With the exception of him, he thought with a frown, she always listened to him. He didn't deserve someone as pure and innocent as she.

"_I'm not stupid!" She yells at him at the end of the world, despite the fact that she caused it._

"_You could have fooled me!" He yells back, but is instantly sorry as her eyes go wide and she hangs her head in shame. "I'm sorry." Because he is, because, despite only knowing her a few weeks at this point, she's still the most brilliant human he had ever met. He already was hooked on her._

The Doctor was so absorbed in his thoughts that he missed the whole transaction with Donna and the Empress. He caught on though, when he noticed Lance laughing cruelly with the Empress.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her, his hearts breaking at the confusion evident on Donna's face.

"Sorry for what?" she asked, "Lance, don't be so stupid! Get her!"

"Donna..." Rose began, stepping towards the confused bride. She placed a hand on the woman's arm and smiled sadly at her, waiting for her to realise what Lance has done and what he is planning to do.

"God, she's thick," Lance spat, and Donna's eyes were drawn back up to his. "Months I had to put up with her. Months! A woman who can't even point to Germany on a map."

"I don't understand," Donna said quietly. Her mind was reeling, how could he have been lying to her this entire time? She was in love with him, loved him with every fibre of her being, and had thought that he had felt the same.

"How did you meet him?" The Doctor asked her, softly.

"In the office," Donna replied, her eyes locking with his.

"He made you coffee," he said, his eyes were boring into hers, willing her to understand.

"What?" Donna asked, still uncomprehending.

"Every day, I made you coffee," Lance said, his voice cruel and condescending. Jackie shot him a filthy look, wishing that she was the one with the axe.

"Donna," Rose said, gently turning the bride to face her, "He was giving you the particles in your coffee."

"He was poisoning me?" Donna asked in shock. Rose nodded sadly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, pulling Donna into a hug which the woman returned gratefully.

"It was all there in the job title," the Doctor spat at Lance, "The Head of _Human Resources_."

"This time, it's _personnel_!" Lance laughed and the Empress joined in with a wheezy laugh of her own.

"But," Donna said, pulling away from Rose and looking up at Lance with teary eyes, not understanding how someone could be so cruel. "We were getting married."

"Well, I couldn't risk you running off. I had to say yes. And then I was stuck with a woman who thinks the height of excitement is a new flavour Pringle. Oh, I had to sit there and listen to all that yap yap yap – 'oh, Brad and Angelina - is Posh pregnant?' X Factor, Atkins Diet, Feng Shui, split ends, text me, text me, text me, dear God, the never ending fountain of fat, stupid trivia!" Lance ranted at Donna, who listened in hurt and confusion. The Doctor was reminded once again of the way Rose listens to him. _"_I deserve a medal."

"I'll give you something to wear with pride alright, mate!" Jackie screeched at the man.

"Oh, is that what she's offered you? The Empress of the Racnoss? What are you? Her consort?"

"It's better than a night with her," Lance shot back and Donna winced. Rose glared up at the man as she rubbed Donna's back soothingly.

"But, I love you," Donna said plaintively, the tears threatening to escape her eyes.

"That's what made it easy," Lance replied, his mouth curved in a pitying smirk. "It's like you said, Doctor, 'the big picture'. What's the point of it all if the Human Race is nothing?" The Doctor only glared at Lance. "That's what the Empress can give me; the chance to go out there, to see it, the size of it all. I think you understand that, don't you, Rose?"

"Leave her alone," The Doctor said darkly to Lance before Rose could answer, authority flashing in his eyes.

"Who is this little physician?" asked the Empress.

"What she said," he told her, pointing to Donna, "Martian."

"Oh, we're sort of... homeless," the Doctor said, walking back towards the hole in the ground. This time Rose joined him, peering over the edge into the dark abyss. "But the point is, what's down here? The Racnoss are extinct. What's gonna help you four thousand miles down?"

"That's just the core, isn't it?" Rose asked him and he nodded, grasping her hand in an attempt to keep her away from the edge. A jeopardy friendly Rose and a big, gaping hole that supposedly went to the centre of the earth, was a not a good combination and, quite frankly, one adventure he could live without.

"I think he wants us to talk," Lance said, his voice mocking.

"I think so too."

"Well, tough! All we need is Donna!" Lance shouted down at them.

"Well you can't have her!" Jackie called back, stepping in front of Donna.

"Kill this chattering little doctor-man and his posse of pathetic blondes!" The Empress cried, addressing the robots that lined the walls. The Doctor pulled Rose away from the hole and behind his body, shielding her away from anything the Empress could do to her.

"Don't you hurt him!" He heard Donna cry as Rose struggled to free herself from his grip. She wasn't going to let him keep doing this. They were a team; he fights, she fights; he runs, she runs; he falls, she falls.

"No, no, it's all right," The Doctor said to Donna. Rose was still struggling and, with a sigh, he released her. Taking her hand and pulling her to his side, although he kept her angled a little bit behind him.

"No, I won't let them!" Donna cried again.

"Doctor," Rose whispered, "Don't you think this would be a good time to, you know... run?"

"At arms!"cried the Empress.

The three women watched in horror as the robots aimed their guns at them. The Doctor, however, remained calm, diving in front of Donna and Jackie whilst keeping Rose's hand firmly in his.

"Ah, now," he said, "Except."

"Take aim!"

"Well, I just want to point out the obvious," he said, his voice going slightly more highpitched as usual. Rose grinned in spite of herself, he had a plan.

"They won't hit the bride. They're such very good shots," The Empress said, laughing evilly.

"Just- just- just- hold on, just a tick, just a tiny- just a little—tick," the Doctor said, dropping Rose's hand and pulling the huon particle test tube from his pocket, "If you think about it, the particles activated in Donna and drew her inside my spaceship. So, reverse it... the spaceship comes to her."

He tweaked the test tube and both it and Donna started to glow gold. Rose grinned as the TARDIS started to materialise around them. She was vaguely aware of the Empress ordering the robots to fire but the TARDIS had already appeared around them.

* * *

"Off we go!" the Doctor said once they were safe inside the walls of his wonderful ship. He raced to the console and began flipping switches to dematerialise.

Rose watched with sad eyes as Donna sat on the captain's chair, her shoulders shaking with defeat. She made her way over to the bride.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly, barely aware of the Doctor's rant in the background. He, of course, was oblivious to the crying bride.

"Oh, yeah, perfect," Donna replied sarcastically, wiping her eyes in annoyance. She took a deep, shuddering breath before more tears fell.

"Rose?" Hearing her name, Rose turned to face her mother. "Why don't you help himself over there and I'll make Donna a cuppa?" Without waiting for an answer, Jackie ushered Donna from the room.

* * *

"If a key is lost, then another must be cut," shouted the Empress, "At arms!"

* * *

"We're here," the Doctor said, turning to face Rose, his face dropped when he saw the tears in her eyes. "Rose? What's wrong?"

"It's just..." she started, sniffling slightly, "Poor Donna. I mean, she loved him with all her heart and it was all a lie. And she's so lovely, she doesn't deserve it."

The Doctor's eyes softened, completely in awe at the woman before him. He opened his arms and she enveloped her in a big hug.

"You're amazing, you know that?" he asked her. She pulled back to meet his gaze.

"Yeah?"

"Yes. Absolutely amazing," he nodded, wiping away her tears with his thumb. "I mean, anyone else would be worrying about the Giant Spider that is currently planning on devouring the whole planet while she sits under the Thames with her army of robotic santas, but not Rose Tyler. Nope, Rose Tyler is worrying about the bride who's groom is the Spider's consort. Like I said, amazing."

"Not so amazing," she shrugged, "I just know how she feels is all."

"Who wouldn't love you, Rose?" he asked gently. His eyes went wide a second later as he realised that that may have sounded like a confession. "I mean... What I mean to say is... You..." He stammered, "You have all those qualities that humans love, like... your hair! Yes, your hair! Humans love blonde hair! Oh, and your laugh! It's all warm and soft, but only when it's your real laugh. Your fake laugh is too loud. Ooh, that was rude wasn't it? What I mean to say is... Actually, I don't know what I mean to say. But, the point still stands. Humans love humans like you. Yup, you're a right loveable... human... to other... humans."

Rose was watching him with something akin to amusement but he didn't miss the flicker of hurt that crossed her face as he trailed off.

"So, you're saying that only a human could love me because I'm blonde and laugh a lot?" she asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Yes?" he replied, a sheepish grin on his face.

"You're impossible!" she replied, but, even though she did laugh, the laugh was too loud.

The console suddenly beeped as if to tell them to get a move on, so the Doctor, albeit reluctantly, broke away from Rose and went towards the scanner.

"Oh, that scanner's a bit small. Maybe Donna's way is best," He held out is hand and led her towards the doors. "No human's ever seen this. You'll be the first."

Rose grinned; her eyes alight with the curiosity and affection.

"Rose Marion Tyler," the Doctor said, "Welcome to the creation of the Earth."

The Doctor opened the doors to the spectacular view before them. Beautiful colours were swirling through dust clouds and giant pieces of rock floated lazily by.

"We've gone back 4.6 billion years," the Doctor explained, "There's no solar system, not yet, only dust and rocks and 's the Sun over there," he pointed to a bright light in the distance, "Brand new, just beginning to burn."

* * *

"There you go, love," Jackie said, handing Donna a cup of tea. "That'll sort ya out good and proper."

"Thanks," Donna whispered, taking a sip. She smiled as the warmth spread through her, breaking through the shock and allowing her to think clearly. "How do you do it?" she asked.

"Do what?" Jackie replied, taking a seat opposite the woman and sipping her own cuppa.

"Live your life like this? Travelling and seeing monsters? I couldn't do it."

"God no, neither could I!" Jackie laughed, "Pete and I have to leave Earth, and these two are just giving us a lift. The Doctor said he'd find us a planet to live on. God, look at me, I sound like this is as normal as movin' house!" Donna smiled at Jackie, happy to have someone else who thought this was all completely insane.

"Hang on, how come you have to leave? Didn't assassinate the alien ambassador, or anything did you?" Jackie laughed for a moment with the bride before her, before sobering as she thought about the reason that she has to leave.

"My husband, Pete, died twenty years ago," she said, watching as confusion flickered across Donna's face. "I know, then how can you have seen him a few hours ago, right?" Donna nodded. "There are different worlds, parallel worlds he says, and in each world is like there are doubles of you and me. You know, the same but a little bit different?"

"That's how he knew me, isn't it?" Donna asked, "That's why Pete called me his best friend. I knew him in the parallel world."

"I think so, I'm not exactly an expert," Jackie nodded, "But that's why we have to leave. Pete, this Pete, is stuck in this world and he can't exactly walk around after being dead for twenty odd years. He left everything to come back to me and now... now I don't even know if he's alive!" Jackie started to cry and Donna rushed to her side, wrapping an arm around Jackie's heaving shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Jackie. It's all my fault, I should have made him jump first!"

"No, no, don't blame yourself," Jackie sniffed, "The Doctor will sort it out."

"I hope so," Donna smiled, grabbing a tissue from the counter and passing it to Jackie, "Is he really as good as you say he is?"

"Yeah," Jackie nodded, blowing her nose, "I trust him. He keeps Rose safe, and that's all I can ask for, really."

"Are him and Rose...together?" Donna asked, having not quite been able to define exactly what their relationship was. They seemed like a couple from the way they acted around each other, and the constant handholding, but the sad look in Rose's eyes when she had asked had told a different story.

"He loves her," Jackie explained, finishing the last of her tea, "And she loves him, wears her heart on her sleeve, my Rose does, but he's too thick to admit it to her, it goes against some alien rule. And, I'll be the first to admit that he ain't good enough for her, nobody is. But they love each other, and from what I've seen, he needs her. And I'll be damned if I let him hurt her."

Donna smiled as Jackie slapped the table for emphasis. She liked Jackie and hoped that, should she survive this, that they could be friends.

"Come on," she said, helping Jackie to her feet, "Martian boy will be wondering where we got to."

* * *

"But the question is... what was that first rock?" The Doctor asked, as he and Rose stared out at the dust clouds and rocks before them. Suddenly, a star shaped rock emerged through the clouds.

"What's that?" Rose whispered, pointing towards it.

"The Racnoss..." he replied, his eyes wide with disbelief.

* * *

Lance looked around with fear as two robots grabbed his arms, holding him still.

"Drink the particles!" cried the Empress, "Become the key!"

Lance struggled for another moment, his eyes wide as he watched one of them robots approach carrying a barrel full of the liquid particles.

"What about him?" he cried, "You don't need him!"

"Ah, very good Lance! I had almost forgotten about our little visitor! He shall do nicely as my second key, one can never have to many spares!" The Empress laughed as three robots walked over to the visitor in question and pulled him to his feet

* * *

"Hold on," the Doctor said, "the Racnoss are hiding from the war! What's it doing?" They watched silently as the dust and gas were pulled towards the Racnoss as if it were a giant magnet.

"But it's like you said," said Rose, turning towards him, "Gravity, yeah? It's the big rock pulling them all together. They're burying themselves, aren't they?"

"Exactly, they are the centre of the earth!"

Suddenly, the TARDIS shuddered and they were both thrown off their feet. Rose landed with an 'oomph' on the Doctor's chest, her face just inches from his. They both stared at each other for a moment, neither wanting to move yet neither wanting to risk anything. Alarm bells were going off with the Doctor for he knew that if he were to kiss her that he'd never be able to let her go but having her so close was oh, so tempting.

Their breaths mingled together as they lay, frozen in the moment. Rose's eyes flickered to the Doctor's lips and he could have sworn that she let out a soft moan. _Maybe one kiss wouldn't hurt_, he mused, lifting a hand to move a piece of hair off of her face. She leant into his palm, closed her eyes and he was lost.

"Rose..." he whispered, his eyes falling shut as he inched closer.

"What the blooming-heck was that?" Jackie cried, running into the room with Donna hot at her heels. The Doctor's eyes snapped open and he pushed Rose to off of him.

"Trouble," he answered, as if he hadn't just tried to kiss her daughter. He pulled Rose up behind him and slammed the doors shut. The TARDIS shook again and they were all thrown around. Rose grabbed the Doctor's hand and he towed her to the console.

* * *

Pete Tyler was drowning. He gasped and struggled as litre upon litre of the huon particles were forced down his throat. Just when he thought he was going to pass out from asphyxiation, they robots pulled back, allowing him to draw in gulps of air. He looked to his side and saw that Lance was in a similar position.

"Ah, my wonderful keys!" Drawled the Empress as she watched the two men start to glow, "Now, my servants, bind them!"

* * *

"What the hell's it doing?" Donna asked, as they were jerked violently around the TARDIS' console.

"Remember that little trick I pulled?" he asked, trying with all his might to stop the TARDIS, "Particles pulling particles? Well, it works in reverse -they're pulling us back!"

"Can't you do something?" Rose asked, falling to the ground beside her mother.

"Hasn't it got a handbrake?" Donna cried, "Can't you reverse or warp or beam or something?"

"Backseat driver," he said, pulling Rose to her feet as he continued to run around the TARDIS, "Oh! Wait a minute!" He grinned, pulling out the extrapolator from underneath the console, "The extrapolator! Can't stop us, but it should give us a good bump!" He began whacking it with his mallet, his face contorted with effort, "NOW!" he yelled, and suddenly the TARDIS stopped shaking.

Dropping both mallet and extrapolator, he rushed to the door, the three women close behind him.

"Did you do it?" Rose asked, peeking a head under his arm. He nodded and stepped out.

"We're about 200 yards to the right. Come on!" He set off running and the others followed behind. Jackie found herself in the dire need of a Segway as she trailed behind, her lungs burning in excursion.

Donna, Rose and the Doctor arrived at the Thames flood barrier door with Jackie still trailing behind. They could hear her panting as she slowed to a walk.

"But what do we do?" Donna asked, clutching a stitch in her side as she watched the Doctor pull out his stethoscope, pressing it to the door.

"I don't know! I make it up as I go along!" The Doctor said, still listening for something.

Rose smiled, "But he does it brilliantly!"

"But I still don't understand," Donna said, "I'm full of particles, but what for?"

The Doctor didn't look up from what he was doing as he answered her.

"There's a Racnoss web at the centre of the Earth, but my people unravelled their power source. The Huon particles ceased to exist but the Racnoss are 've just been in hibernation for billions of years. Frozen. Dead. Kaput! So you're the new key. Brand new particles, living particles! They need you to open it and you have never been so quiet." He span around, and his hearts plummeted. Rose, Jackie and Donna were nowhere to be seen.

**TBC...**

* * *

**So, yeah, I hope you enjoyed it. And I will see you when I see you. I've decided to stop promising speedy updates as I never seem to deliver! Please, please, please review - you know yourself that it makes ones day. Till next time, Katie xxx**

**p.s what did you think of the Comic Relief Doctor Who clip? A bit like Time Crash, no? :P**


	10. Drowning

**Well I'm back after... it hasn't really been over 3 weeks, has it? Woops, sorry.**

**This chapter was quite hard to write because there's so much action and I had to work in 3 extra characters! I hope you like it, I kinda do. **

**I've decided to dedicate this chapter to baby Olive. I'm trying desperately hard to get over David Tennant so I think that accepting that he's now a father is one step on the way to sanity.**

**Thank you to everyone who review my last chapter - Eve Dallas, jjjc, Hollyp13, I-Plead-Contemporary-Insanity, USSEnterpriseNCC-1701, skiser, A Who Down in Whoville, Ayjah, miriel celeste, Ketaqueen, Kahlan Amnell, Laurengirlv, pachysam, Taylor Grace, DoctorWhoIsMyLife, Nabakza, Kelly of the midnight dawn, Professor Evans and Naaer. You guys are amazing! DFTBA!**

**Anyways, enjoy and review.**

**P.s I keep forgetting to put in a disclaimer but in case you haven't guessed - Doctor Who is not mine, it never was and it never shall be.**

* * *

"ROSE!" The Doctor cried, looking around himself in horror, _she can't be gone, she can't! _"DONNA? JACKIE?"

"Alright, quit your moaning, I'm 'ere, I'm 'ere," The irritated voice of Jackie Tyler sounded and the Doctor span around, never had he been so pleased to hear that woman's voice. Jackie was still clutching a stitch as she rounded the corner and headed towards him.

"Jackie!" Exclaimed the Doctor in relief, as he ran towards her and pulled her into a hug.

"What the bleedin' heck was that about?" she asked as he released her. She looked around for a moment before adding, "Where's Rose?"

"They've taken her," he replied grimly, as he returned to the door, "And Donna, too."

"Oh, my god!" Jackie sobbed, "My Rosie!" She broke down in sobs, forcing the Doctor to stop sonicing the door and turn towards her.

"Jackie," he said, "Jackie, look at me," She looked up from the floor, tears making their way down her cheeks, "Remember what I told you? When we were in the Torchwood Tower, what did I say to you?"

"You promised me that you'd get us out alive," she whispered and he nodded.

"And I will Jackie, I swear to you. You, Rose, Pete and Donna. There's been too much death and it ends now. Okay?"

"Okay," she nodded, sniffing. The Doctor grinned at her before turning back to the door. He swung it open and gasped as one of the robots held a gun pointed at his face.

* * *

When Rose regained consciousness she was startled to see that she was tied to the ceiling above the dark tunnel that supposedly led to the core of the earth. She tried to ignore the dizziness that came with being suspended above such a danger and assessed her situation. Looking to her right she saw that Donna was in a similar position, although she seemed still unconscious from whatever they had been drugged with. She could see Lance on Donna's right, secretly pleased that his sleaze-ball tactics had gotten him nowhere.

"Rose?" Her head span around at the sound of her name. To her delight, and worry, she came face-to-face with Pete Tyler.

"You're alive!" she breathed, grinning at him.

"Yeah, well not for long if your Doctor doesn't hurry it up," he replied, his voice grim.

"Don't talk like that," Rose said, "The Doctor will save us, just wait and see."

"Rose, he isn't a miracle worker," Pete reminded her. She was about to respond, telling him that that was indeed what the Doctor was, to her at least, when there was a groan from her left. She looked around to see Donna blinking hazily as the last effects of the drugs wore off. Upon realisation of her situation, Donna struggled for a moment, her survival instincts kicking in as she looked down at the gaping black hole beneath her.

"Donna, it's okay," Rose said soothingly, as the woman gave up her struggle.

"Rose?"

"Hey, how's it hanging?" she grinned. Donna just stared back it her, clearly unimpressed with the pun. Rose couldn't help but think that the Doctor would laugh.

"My golden couple," Rose and Donna's eyes widened as they heard the mocking voice of the Empress. Donna looked at Lance beside her and her heart broke a little more when he looked back at her with no emotion in his eyes, "Together at last! Your awful wedded life! Tell me; do you want to be released?

"Yes!" They cried.

"You're supposed to say 'I do,'" she laughed evilly up at them. Rose watched as Donna's eyes widened. She felt a pang of sadness for this woman whose dreams had been shattered and thrown back in her face.

"Ha," Lance laughed, looking at the bride beside him in what appeared to be disgust, "No chance."

"Say it!" The Empress demanded.

"I do," Lance sighed.

"I do," Donna repeated, her voice wavering slightly. Rose decided that she was going to give Donna the greatest hug of her life once they were free – the woman deserved a medal.

"I don't!" The Empress cackled, throwing her head back, "Activate the particles," she ordered, "Purge every last one!"

Rose watched in shock as Donna and Lance started to glow. Turning her head to see Pete's reaction she felt her stomach drop as she saw that the golden glow was surrounding him too. He was looking at her in horror as the gold engulfed him completely.

"No..." she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. Were they too late to save them?

"And release!" Rose breathed a sigh of relief as the gold soared down into the pit beneath them, leaving the three people safe in the web. Well, as safe as one could be when at the mercy of a giant spider-lady who was probably going to eat them. She found herself with a new found respect for Ron Weasley's cowardice when in Aragog's layer.

"The secret heart unlocks and they will waken from their sleep of ages," cried the Empress.

"Who will? What's down there?" Donna asked.

"How thick are you?" Lance sneered. Rose would have slapped him if her hands weren't bound and she was glad to note that, judging by her face, Donna would have too.

"My children, the long lost Racnoss," replied the Empress, pride evident in her voice, "Now will be born to feast on flesh!"

"What do you need us for then?" Rose asked, her voice strong as she addressed the spider, "Where do we fit into all of this?"

"My babies will be hungry," she replied, "They need sustenance. Perish the web!"

"Use them!" cried Lance, "Not me! Use them!"

"Oh, my funny little Lance! But you are quite impolite to our friends. The Empress does not approve." Rose screamed and Donna shouted "Lance!" as the web around him broke and he fell to his death, giving them a glimpse of what was to come for them.

"You didn't need to kill him!" Rose yelled at the Racnoss in outrage.

"Oh, this Rose lady is feisty, much like the bride!" Said the Empress, "You may be useful!"

"Useful for what?" Rose asked.

"In taunting your Doctor-man," She replied, and Rose's heart clenched. She knew that the Doctor would do anything to save her, even if it meant sacrificing himself, "The same Doctor-man who believes he can fool me with a cloak. You might as well unmask yourself Doctor!"

Rose's eyes darted towards the hooded figure being referred to and let out a relieved laugh as the Doctor and her mum were revealed from beneath the long black cloak.

"Oh well," The Doctor said, as he shrugged it off, "Nice try!"

"Pete!" Jackie called, her eyes wide in fear for her family as she located them tied to the ceiling.

"Hullo, Jacks," Pete called down to her weakly, his heart breaking at being so far away from his love. Their reunion was so brief, it wasn't fair. Didn't they deserve happiness after all that they had been through?

"See, Jackie, I told you he'd be fine!" The Doctor said, cheerfully. "How's it hanging, Pete?" Pete merely glared at him. "Get it, hanging? Because you're hanging... from the... No? Rose?"

"That's what I said!" she grinned at him. He grinned back letting out a giggle, which he would never admit to, before getting back to the matter at hand. He aimed his sonic at the web making the strands unwind.

"Donna, you first, I've got you!" he said.

Donna looked around herself in shock as the web around her began to loosen.

"I'm gonna fall!" she cried, grabbing hold of a piece of web that had become loose around her.

"Nah," he said, "You're gonna swing!" Donna had only barely registered his words before she was swinging low over the pit and towards him and Jackie. "I've got you!" He called, holding out his arms. There was a loud smack and the Doctor peered over the edge of the railing with Jackie only to see Donna lying flat on her back. "Oh," he said sheepishly, "sorry!"

"Thanks for nothing!" Donna shouted at him – the Doctor could feel the slap already.

"The doctor-man amuses me," said the Empress as she smirked at Donna's not-so-graceful landing, "Now let me amuse him."

The Doctor had less than a second to try and understand the Empress' words before he heard a sound that never failed to make is blood run cold.

Rose screamed as suddenly the web around her broke and she fell towards the hole. Luckily, a piece of the web had gotten caught around her ankle and she found herself suspended in the air. Unluckily, however, she was hanging upside down by her ankle above a pit leading down towards the centre of the earth. She whimpered as she stared down at the dark tunnel that was sure to be her death.

"ROSE!" The Doctor yelled, "HOLD ON!" His hearts were racing; he looked around himself wildly, trying to find something; anything he could use to save her. Jackie seemed to be frozen in shock, her eyes were glassy as she stared, transfixed at her daughter.

Somewhere in his subconscious he could hear Donna and Pete yelling for Rose but he was too caught up in his panic. _I can't save her, _was the only thought running through his head besides from, _I'm going to lose her, again._ _I can't save her, I can't save her, I can't save her..._

He returned his gaze to Rose, his eyes hard. _I can't save her._ She was revolving slowly from the momentum of her fall. As she turned to face him their eyes met. His hearts broke a little more as he saw the acceptance in them, as if she knew that she had no way out. He turned to address the Racnoss.

"Empress of the Racnoss, I give you one last chance. If you save Rose, I can find you a planet. I can find you a place in the universe to coexist. Take that offer and end this now for, rest assured, I will show you no mercy if you harm a hair on her head."

Jackie finally took her eyes off her daughter to look up at the alien beside her. She could see the anger simmering behind the Doctor's eyes. She could also see the desperation to save her and the love she knew had for Rose.

"These men are so funny," the Empress drawled.

"Oh, believe me, I am _deadly _serious. Should any harm come to Rose I will show you just how _funny _I can be," he threatened, and he knew that he was speaking the truth. He would wipe out every single creature in the universe should they threaten Rose's safety. This was why he needed to send her somewhere safe, he shouldn't feel like that. He shouldn't value a human more than the universe. But he did. "Now, what's your answer?

Rose watched as the Doctor's eyes flashed with the oncoming storm. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The Doctor, _her _Doctor, who was so compassionate, so willing to see the good in someone was threatening to commit genocide. And for what, to ensure her safety? She Couldn't allow it, she wouldn't. Looking up at her ankle she assessed her situation and grinned. It was a long shot, but she was going to die anyway.

Rose was quite bad at gymnastics, if she was being honest, but she did love to watch it and she liked to think that she had picked a few things up along the way. So, straightening her back out, crossing her free leg over her trapped one and stretching her arms out below her, she prepared herself. Rocking slowly she started to build momentum, swinging to web forwards and backwards.

"Oh," the Empress said, "I'm afraid I have to decline."

"Then what happens next is your own-" he broke off as he caught sight of Rose. "Rose?"

"Rose!" Jackie yelled, covering her mouth in fear.

"Rose, be careful!" The Doctor yelled. She was stretched out as far as she could go, her eyes closed in concentration as the web wrapped around her ankle moved dangerously. A moment later, she curled her back up and reached for the web. He held his breath as she reached for the thin line of web that could mean life or death – for both of them.

He waited on bated breath as her hand caught hold of the white strand and gripped it hard.

"I'll show you what happens next," the Empress cried, "At arms!"

The Doctor tore his gaze away from Rose, who was holding onto the cord for dear life, and looked towards the robots surrounding them. He noticed that some of them were holding their guns in the direction of Rose and frowned.

"Take aim!" Cried the Empress, "And-"

"Relax," said the Doctor, grinning in spite of himself as the robots went limp.

"What did you do?" he heard Donna ask and he looked over the railing, he had nearly forgotten that he was there from being so preoccupied with Rose's safety. The woman in question was currently swaying dangerously on the rope.

"Guess what I've got, Donna?" He held up a chunky remote-control and grinned, "Pockets."

"How did that fit in there?" she asked in disbelief.

"They're bigger on the inside," he replied and Rose couldn't help but grin despite her situation. The rope had finally stopped swaying and she was able to start climbing. Hoisting herself up a little she groaned at the pressure of holding her whole weight. She was unable to use her legs and was forced to climb one hand at a time. She knew that, should she slip, that the strand of web wouldn't hold her weight and she would fall. She thought of the Doctor walking back to the TARDIS alone and that thought is what gave her strength to climb. She _needed_ to be there to hold his hand. _First a barrage balloon and now this..._ she thought as she began her ascent towards Pete.

"Robo-forms are not necessary! My children may feast on Martian flesh."

"Oh, but I'm not from Mars," the Doctor said, and Rose stopped climbing to look around at him. She rarely heard him mention his planet, and never had she heard the name.

"Then where?" inquired the Racnoss.

"My home planet is far away and long-since gone," he said, his voice solemn, "But its name lives on," Rose held her breath, "Gallifrey." He spoke the name with such reverence and darkness that Rose had to suppress a shiver. She met his eyes briefly and wished with all her heart that she was beside him and holding his hand. "Rose, climb!" he shouted to her. Nodding, sensing that he had a plan she resumed her journey upwards, moving as fast as she could.

"They murdered the Racnoss!" the Empress screeched, thrashing around in sudden anger.

"I warned you," the Doctor said, taking his eyes off Rose to glare at the Empress, "You did this."

Jackie watched in horror as the Doctor produced several of the exploding baubles from his pocket and held them up to show the Racnoss. Her eyes darted from Pete to Rose to the Doctor, never had she been as afraid as she was now.

"No! No! Don't! No!" Cried the Empress.

Rose slowed down to see what was going on but heard Pete call from above her.

"Don't stop, Rose! He needs you to keep climbing!" She looked up at her him and nodded, pulling herself up a bit more. She was nearing the top now but her arms were tired, she wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.

The Doctor threw the baubles into the air, watching as some surrounded the Empress and some smashed into the walls of the corridor, destroying them and the water from the Thames rushed though in torrents. The room shook with the impact and he held up the remote, there was no mercy in his eyes.

"DOCTOR!" The Doctor's neck snapped towards Rose and he felt his chest constrict, she was slipping. He knew he only had one chance to get this right, to save her. Lowering the remote he raised the sonic screwdriver towards Pete.

Pete gasped as the web around him loosened. He grabbed a nearby strand and waited for the break.

Several things happened at once. The web around Pete snapped and he was sent swinging towards Rose. The baubles exploded causing a fire which engulfed the legs of the Empress. Lastly, a scream was let out as the impact of the explosions caused Rose's web to break.

Rose screamed as she fell towards the hole. When people are about to die, you always hear stories of lives flashing before eyes and Rose always figured that they meant memories of a life once lived, it was only now, as she fell towards her own death, that she realised how wrong she had been. Yes, she saw her life before her, but it wasn't the life she had lived, it was what her whole world was. As Rose fell she saw one thing, she saw the Doctor. She closed her eyes to the madness around her, knowing that she could face death if he was there.

Pete swung towards Rose, hoping with all his might that he would reach her in time. The web broke a moment before he reached her, giving him just enough time to grab her by the middle and tow her to safety. They fell to the ground with as much grace as Donna had. Pete let out a gasp of disbelief. He did it! He looked up at Jackie, she was gazing back at him with so much love and admiration, and he knew everything was going to be okay.

Donna, who had been quiet for the last few minutes, was looking at the destruction around her in horror. The fire, the water, the screams... It was too much. She looked at Rose who seemed completely oblivious to the devastation surrounding her. Her eyes were fixed on the Doctor, unblinking and unreadable as she watched him destroy the chamber.

"My children!" The Empress wailed,_ "_No! My children! My children!"

The Doctor stared, transfixed at the burning Racnoss. He knew that he should feel regret for killing this mother and her children, but he didn't, he couldn't. This Empress of the Racnoss had tried to kill Rose. His Rose. He'd been kind, he'd offered her a chance yet still she refused. He was through with being kind, it got him nowhere. He'd kill anyone who tried to harm Rose.

When it became clear to Donna that nobody was going to try and stop him, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

"Doctor!" she called up to him. He looked away from the Racnoss momentarily to look at her, "You can stop now!"

His eyes flitted back up to the Racnoss who was wailing in pain and grief. He wanted to feel remorse, wanted to feel anything but this overwhelming anger and thirst for revenge. He looked down at Rose. Her hair was soaked, her thin shirt clinging to her body. He met her gaze and saw something he couldn't for the life of him comprehend. She forgave him. Her eyes were wide and full of understanding that he in no way deserved. She should hate him, be disgusted with him, she should want to be as far away as possible from him. Or maybe he just wanted her to want these things.

"Come on! Time I got you lot out!" he yelled, beckoning to the stairs.

"Transport me!" he heard the Empress yell as he pushed Jackie, Pete and Donna through the door and into the flooded corridor. He grabbed Rose's hand and the five of them raced down the corridor to safety.

"This way!" he told them as they came to a door. He swung it open, revealing a ladder. He pushed Rose up ahead of him and waited for the others to climb up behind her before he followed suit. They emerged onto one of the flood barriers on the Thames.

"Blimey!" Jackie said, as they looked around themselves in shock, "You've drained the bleedin' river!" Pete laughed as he wrapped an arm around Jackie's waist, happy to be reunited with her at last.

"I have, haven't I?" The Doctor replied, turning in a circle to inspect the riverbed around them. He knew Rose was watching him out of the corner of her eye but pretended not to notice.

"What about the Racnoss?" Donna asked, "Did she drown?"

He tried to keep his face free from emotion when he replied, hyper-aware of Rose's gaze.

"No," he said, "She transported herself out. But she used up all of her huon energy, she's defenceless."

"Now what?" Pete asked, speaking for the first time in a while.

"Back to the TARDIS," The Doctor replied, stepping back towards the ladder. He looked down, glad to see that the water had receded. "Come on!"

"Is it going to be okay?" Donna asked, "Not gunna get waterlogged or anything?"

"Nah, she'll be fine!" The Doctor said dismissively as he stepped down onto the first rung.

Rose watched as the Doctor climbed down the ladder followed by Donna and Pete. She hung back, the cold air making her shiver.

"You alright?" her mother asked, "Look at you, you're freezing."

"I'm always alright," Rose replied with a soft smile, before descending the ladder after the Doctor.

* * *

The TARDIS landed with a thump outside the home of Donna Alana Noble. She stepped out the door and looked around herself in wonder. So much had changed since she had left here this morning. The Doctor, Rose, Pete and Jackie followed her out the door.

"There we go. Told you she'd be all right. She can survive anything," The Doctor announced cheerfully, patting the TARDIS' side.

"What about you?" Rose asked, "Are you okay?"

"Well, I missed my wedding, lost my job and became a widow on the same day, sort of, so I've been better," she said, but she was smiling slightly, "But I'll survive. Won't I? Are those huon particles gone now?"

"Yup, all gone!" The Doctor grinned, "Perfectly safe."

Donna nodded and smiled.

"I suppose I better go in, they'll be worried," she said, taking a step back towards her home.

"Best Christmas present they could have!" The Doctor grinned, "Oh wait, I forgot, you hate Christmas!"

"You hate Christmas?" Rose asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yes, I do," Donna nodded.

"Even if it snows?" Four pairs of eyes widened in surprise as the Doctor tweaked something on the TARDIS and it began to snow.

"I can't believe you did that!" Donna cried, looking around herself in wonder and shock.

"Since when does the TARDIS control the weather?" Rose asked the Doctor, looking up at him with a grin. He was going to miss that grin.

"Oh, basic atmospheric excitation," the Doctor replied, casually, trying to hide his melancholy with knowledge.

"Merry Christmas," Donna said. There was a quick exchange of good wishes between everyone before it went silent again.

"What are you going to do now?" Rose asked, smiling gently at the woman who had lost so much.

"Not getting married for starters. And I'm not gonna temp anymore. I dunno... travel... see a bit more of planet Earth... walk in the dust. Just... go out there and do something."

The Doctor thought momentarily about asking her to come with them but he wasn't sure he would want anyone around for a while after he left Rose.

"Good for you," he said instead.

Rose took a step forward and gave Donna a hug.

"Good luck, Donna. You'll be amazing. And here," she said, handing her her mobile number on a piece of paper, "In case you ever want to chat."

"Thanks, Rose, I will."

Rose smiled and stepped into the TARDIS, heading to the kitchen to make some long overdue cups of tea.

"Goodbye, Donna," said Pete, reaching out to shake her hand. Donna batted his hand away and pulled him into a hug. He hugged her back with a laugh; she was just like his Donna.

"Bye, Pete, thanks for everything," she said as she released him, "And I'm sorry for slapping you."

"It's okay, I'm used to it," he smiled, jerking his thumb towards Jackie who let out an indignant, "OI!"

"Cya, Donna," he said, his grin never leaving his face as he stepped into the TARDIS after Rose.

The Doctor remained silent as Donna and Jackie exchanged numbers and contact details, gave each other a hug and said their goodbyes. He watched as Jackie stepped into the TARDIS and then turned back to Donna.

"Well, guess this is it then, good luck Donna," he stepped forward and gave her a hug, "And just... be magnificent."

"I think I will, yeah," Donna laughed, taking a step back from him. He turned to leave but she called him back, "Doctor?"

"Yes, Donna?" he said, turning to face her with one foot in the door.

"You and Rose..." she began, watching as his eyes went misty, "Just... tell her, yeah?"

He didn't respond, only gave her a small, enigmatic smile, before stepping into the TARDIS and shutting the door slowly behind him.

He had just activated the dematerialisation sequence when Rose appeared clutching two cups of tea. His hearts clenched knowing that his time left with her was now very limited. He took his mug with muttered thanks and sat in the captain's chair.

"She'll be alright," Rose said, leaning against the console opposite him, "Won't she?"

"She'll be fine," he agreed, "And you, Rose Tyler, are you okay? How's that burn of yours?" He stood up and inspected the bandage that still covered her wound.

"It's fine," she said, "I'll survive. You're not going to get rid of me that easily!"

The Doctor didn't reply, only nodded as he flicked various switches and dials.

"So," Rose said, when nothing had been said for a few minutes. It never used to be this awkward between them and she desperately wanted to know what had changed. "Where to next?"

"Oh," he said, looking up at her at long last, "I have just the place."

* * *

**Right, well, Easter is just around the corner and you know what that means? No, not easter eggs - MORE TIME TO WRITE! That and NEW DOCTOR WHO SERIES! Eeek :) Did you see the ad? It looks AMAZING. And they go into the old TARDIS! So, excited :D :D**

**Anyway, please review. I got so many last time I couldn't believe it! Please keep it up. You know yourself how great it is to see a Review Alert in your inbox! Until next time which I should be relatively soon, Katie xx**


	11. Do I stay or do I go?

**This chapter actually took as long as I've been away to write. I kept deleting parts and adding in new ones and etc. I actually only finished it a few minutes ago so, as usual, I haven't read over it properly. If I did you'd probabaly be waiting another week so just be thankful that it's here!**

**Thank you to Moonprincess92, lozzy035, dejadthisvu, TimeyWhimey, Taylor Grace, Kelly of the midnight dawn, Nabakza, Hollyp13, Laurengirlv, Eve Dallas, A Who Down in Whoville and MissRAB for reviewing the last chapter. You guys made my day x**

**Now... on to the FLANGST! **

* * *

Awh, that's lovely!" The Doctor exclaimed stepping out of the TARDIS with the Tylers in tow. Surrounding them was, what looked like, a Spanish villa with grass as dark as emeralds and palm trees as tall as houses. The sky above them was tinged pink with wisps of purple clouds floating lazily across the violet suns.

Jackie's jaw dropped as she took in the alien surroundings. She's never even been outside England before. She snapped her mouth shut after a moment only for it to fall open again as she looked up and saw the triplet suns above them.

"Go on then," Rose said to the Doctor, knowing full-well that he was just dying to explain exactly where and when they were, "Where've you landed us this time?"

"Funny you should ask, Rose Tyler," he said, moving so that he came to a standstill at her side, "This, my posse of Tylers, is Sorbinia; a pleasure planet in the year 16006," he moved again so that he stood between Pete and Jackie, whose eyes were still wide from the alien planet around them, and draped his arms casually around their shoulders, "With a population of fourteen million, seventy percent of which are of human descent, Sorbinia had everything you need! Shops, hospitals, hospitals with shops, bars, spas, theme parks, cinemas... it's the ultimate pleasure planet!" He grinned down at the couple, trying to gauge their reactions, "Well, what do you think? Excellent? I know I am!"

"I think I need a drink," Pete answered, sounding more than a little dazed. Jackie nodded in agreement and the Doctor sighed in exasperation, dropping his arms from around their shoulders.

"Humans!" he said, shaking his head as he walked back towards Rose, "You take them to one of _the best_ planets in the cosmos and all they want is a pint!"

"How about we let them go for a pint and you can show me around, yeah?" Rose said, taking his hand a giving him her tongue-in-the-cheek smile. She laid her head on his shoulder and he knew, once more, that he could deny her nothing.

"Good plan, Rose Tyler, allons-y!"

* * *

They left Pete and Jackie in the most human looking bar they could find with a stack of credits and a brand-spanking new super-phone before escaping the domestics to explore the beautiful planet around them.

They found a market full of rare flowers and trinkets not far from the bar and decided to take a stroll through the stalls.

The Doctor watched as Rose took in the beauty around her. Her eyes were wide as she tried to look at everything at once; the strange aliens, the wonderful stalls, the exotic flowers, so many things that were so different to what she was used to. _This is why I travel, _he thought, as she pulled him up to a stall full of colourful, glass flowers, _to see her face and have it be more beautiful than the planet around them._ Not for long, a voice at the back of his head muttered. He squashed it down; he would worry about his departure later, after he showed her the sights. If this was to be their last trip together he wanted it to be worthwhile and memorable. She deserved that, at least.

"Hello, pretty lady," greeted the alien at the stall. He was a dusky yellow colour and appeared otherwise human except for his six arms which were each clutching a different colour flower, "Would you like to by a flower? They're cheap!"

"They are beautiful," Rose said, inspecting the array of flowers before her, "But we're just looking."

"Will your husband not buy one for you?" asked the alien, looking at the Doctor with hope in his eyes. Rose looked up at the Doctor too, her tongue peeking out from between her teeth. "This one means love!" He added, holding up a blood red rose. It glinted in the sunlight.

"We're not married," she said, turning back to the friendly alien before them.

"Oh, I'm sorry, of course!" he said, bowing in apology. The Doctor and Rose each raised an eyebrow at the odd behaviour. "You're here for the festival! I should have realised."

"Festival?" The Doctor asked, confused.

"Why, the Wedding festival, of course!" The humble alien explained.

"Sorry, what was your name?" Rose asked.

"Joli, miss, Joli Flé," he replied, "But are you not here for the festival?"

Rose was about to respond with a negative when the Doctor elbowed her. She looked up at him indignantly but he just winked, telling her to play along.

"'Course we are," the Doctor smiled, "But our local knowledge is a little off, could you explain what it is exactly? We only know the very basics, skipped the guidebook, you know how it is." Joli grinned, happy to be of service.

"Yes, sir, of course, sir, the Sorbinian Wedding festival takes place every three months. It is a great tradition amongst our people as it brings luck and joy to the planet. Many travel here to the city so that they can be married."

"What," Rose asked, "You can only get married during the festival?"

"Indeed miss, that is when it is most lucky. Anybody who wishes to be bonded is married in a big ceremony at the end of the festival."

"And when's that?" The Doctor asked.

"In two days, sir. The ceremony will be held in the gardens of the palace."

"Lovely," the Doctor grinned, "And is the ceremony open to everyone? Guests included?" Rose frowned, looking up at the Doctor. She wondered what he was planning.

"Yes, sir, anybody who wishes to marry can be married," Joli explained.

"That's amazing," Rose said to him, "Did you get married at it?"

"Yes, miss, I did. My wife, Nanm, and I have been married for 70 festivals now," Joli grinned proudly, "Shall you two be attending the ceremony? You would make a beautiful bride."

Rose, again, was about to respond with a negative but the Doctor cut across her.

"We'll be there," he said.

Rose's head snapped up to his so fast that she nearly gave herself whip-lash. He wasn't looking at her but she saw something in his eyes akin to a plan.

"Oh, wonderful!" cried Joli with joy, "Here, for you," he picked up a delicate yellow rose that was shining in the afternoon sun, "It's yellow for a new beginning. I wish you luck." Joli bowed again before turning to serve the customer who had appeared on Rose's left.

"Thank you, Joli!" Rose said, before the Doctor grabbed her hand and they continued their walk down through the stalls.

"Are you going to tell me what that was about?" Rose asked. She knew that there was no way that the Doctor was thinking about marrying her but she couldn't help that tiny glimmer of home that was swirling around in the back of her mind.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" he asked, looking down at her with his 'dribbled-on-your-shirt' expression, "I was thinking that Jackie and Pete should get married!"

Rose tried not to let the momentary disappointment cloud her grin.

"That's brilliant!" She leaned her head on his shoulder, "You're just a big, ol' romantic underneath it all, ain't ya?" The Doctor loved it when she slipped back into her London accent; she always did when she was happy.

"I suppose," he replied, rubbing his ear awkwardly. "Oooh, look!" He exclaimed, getting distracted by a cart full of fruit, "Bananas!" He dropped her hand and rushed to the stall, his hand deep in his pocket, searching for any money he had.

Rose rolled her eyes before following him to the stall, knowing full-well that she would follow him anywhere.

* * *

The Doctor and Rose spent the next few hours exploring the market place, eating bananas and wandering through the streets of Sorbinia. Eventually they decided that they best return for Jackie and Pete.

The couple in question seemed quite content when the Doctor and Rose arrived back at the bar. They were sitting in the same spot that they had been left in having drinks with another couple, who appeared to be human.

"Oh, Rose, there you are, sweetheart," Jackie called as soon as she spotted Rose and the Doctor hovering by the door, "This is my daughter, Rose," she told the couple opposite them. The pair turned around, smiling warmly at her, "And he's the Doctor," Jackie added, her voice not as chirpy as when she had introduced Rose but still loving, "This is Indah and her husband, Raja."

"Well, you're fitting in nicely," the Doctor commented, dragging over two stools from a nearby table and plonking himself down at the end of theirs, "Nice to meet you both."

"And you, sir," replied Raja.

"Hello," Rose greeted as she took a seat next to the Doctor and smiled at the strangers.

"So," she said, turning to her mother, "What do you think? Do you like it here?"

"S'different," Jackie replied, "But I think I can see us making a life here. Pete was thinking that maybe we could set up a pub, you know, a proper one, like they have back home."

The Doctor grinned and slapped Pete on the back with an enthusiastic, "Good man!" Pete flinched but smiled nonetheless.

"So, you think you'll stay then?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, it seems nice," Jackie nodded, "Indah and Raja here said that they run a property agency. They said that they'll show us some potential properties once some festival is over."

"Brilliant!" The Doctor said, still grinning. He thought that Jackie would have taken longer to adjust to the planet but she seemed to really like it. He took in Pete who was smiling at Jackie and realised that he probably played a big part in her decision. _Home is where the heart is, _right? They would be happy here. And so would Rose.

He picked up a drink from a tray going by, trying to numb the pain leaving _her_ behind caused already. He knew that it was futile, alcohol doesn't affect him, but he was willing to try anything if it meant that it wouldn't hurt as much to say goodbye to the only one he had let close to his hearts.

"We actually wanted to talk to you about that, Mum," Rose said, glancing at the Doctor before focusing on her mother again, "The festival is a wedding festival."

"You're not going to marry himself, are you?" Jackie asked, her eyes wide in shock.

The Doctor choked on his drink and Rose laughed.

"_No!"_ she giggled, watching as the Doctor tried to compose himself. "We were thinking that you and Pe-" she looked at Pete and smiled warmly "Dad should get married."

Pete's eyes widened at Rose calling him Dad. All those months ago when she had said it the first time he rejected her but now, now it felt right, like he finally had a family. He still missed _his_ Jackie but he knew that _this_ Jackie could make him happier than he had ever been. Before it had been business and aliens and money and work and parties but now he could finally have the quiet life, the one he always wanted.

He looked at Jackie and she was gazing back at him, trying to gauge his reaction. He smiled at her. Oh, he wanted to marry her. Again.

"What do you say, Jacks?" he asked, "It's not exactly how I would have liked to propose... but, will you... marry me... again?"

Jackie seemed to take a moment to consider the offer before her face broke out into the biggest grin Rose had ever seen her give.

"Of course I will, you plum! Come here!" She dove on Pete's lips with such enthusiasm that the Doctor had to look away, fearing that he was too young to see such horrors as Jackie Tyler having a snog.

**LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE BREAK LINE **

Indah and Raja, who also owned a nearby hotel, were kind enough to let Jackie and Pete stay in one their bridal suites for free claiming that anybody that in love deserved the best for the festival. The Doctor was glad that Rose was in the loo when they asked if the Doctor and she would like their other bridal suite.

The four of them spent the rest of the evening wandering through the streets and buying a few necessities for the ceremony. They chose a small restaurant to eat at that night, a quiet place with friendly staff and only a few tables. The low lighting in the room and the flickering candles on each table made Rose look like a Goddess and the Doctor could barely take his eyes off her, determined to commit every detail of her to his memory. He could feel their last few hours together ticking away and his hearts clenched painfully at the thought of having to leave her.

He didn't join in for a lot of the conversation, content to watch Rose as she laughed and joked with her parents. _She will be happy here. _He knew she would. Rose loved her mum more than anything and she had always wanted a father. Here she could live out the perfect life. The one he could never have.

Later that night, he and Rose walked hand-in-hand back to the TARDIS after bidding Jackie and Pete farewell and with plans to meet them the following morning.

"You were quiet tonight," Rose commented, swinging their hands softly between them. Her tone was not accusatory, something he adored about her; she knew just how to talk to him. "Is something wrong?" The Doctor looked ahead; he could see the TARDIS coming closer. He just needed to stall this until they got in. Then he could shoo her off to her bedroom and focus on anything but the fact that he was going to have to let go of her hand.

"'Course not!" He replied with a grin, "Everything is hunky-dory! Top notch! Spiffing! Ohh, no, don't like that... not spiffing. Wonderful! Brilliant!" He wondered if his tone was too cheery. He looked down at her, took in her sceptical face. Yep, there it was: the disbelief and slight hurt. _Damn. _

"Thing is, Doctor," Rose said, her voice quiet as she looked at the ground. "You've been saying that for days and I know you, I've been with you for years now, I know when something's wrong," She came to sudden stop and the Doctor was pulled back towards her by their still-connected hands, "There was a time when you could tell me anything."

The Doctor looked down at the ground, ashamed of himself. He kicked up some of the dirt, unsure of what she wanted him to say. He briefly considered saying something hurtful and then maybe she'd leave him but immediately dismissed the idea, he couldn't bear to leave her on bad terms, better to remember her happy than miserable. That way he could still convince himself that she'd be happy on Sorbinia.

"Honestly, Rose, I'm fine," he lied, "It's just the past week taking its toll. I'm tired that's all."

"Tired?" she asked, her eyebrow raised. He nodded dumbly. He knew she still didn't believe him. He knew she had the right not to. "I won't push you, Doctor, but you're going to have to tell me eventually." He nodded rather than say anything more.

When she started to walk, however, he stayed still. She looked behind her trying to see what the delay was.

"What?" she asked.

He said nothing, only tugged her closer by their entwined hands. She fell into his arms without hesitation and he smiled as he felt her hands wrap around him as he did his best to mould them into one being. He released her a few minutes later and together, hand-in-hand they continued towards the TARDIS.

* * *

The next morning they met Jackie and Pete bright and early for breakfast. It was nice, the Doctor mused, doing the domestic thing for once. _I could get used to this_, he thought. His hearts sank as he realised that, in fact, he couldn't get used to this. Not if he was going to let Rose go.

He looked up from his banana pancakes and caught Jackie staring at him. He gave her a weak smile before turning to Pete and striking up a conversation about Torchwood in his universe. He listened intently to every word Pete said but was unable to shake off the feeling of Jackie's gaze.

After breakfast, Rose and Jackie went off to find their clothes for the wedding. Pete excused himself to go and discuss business with Raja so the Doctor was left to his own devices. Which, he decided soon after he was left alone, was not a good thing.

He paced back and forth in the console room of the TARDIS. He knew that he should leave now while he had the chance to slip away but he couldn't. What would happen to Rose then? She'd come back, expecting him to be there and find an empty space. The wedding wouldn't go ahead and her new life would be ruined. No. He couldn't leave now. He needed to be absolutely sure that she'd be happy here. He needed to know that she could live a life free of his ghost.

His hands found their way into his hair, pulling at it as he debated when he could leave. He knew he'd only find some reason or another to stay a bit longer. The wedding, he decided. He'd leave during the wedding. That way he'd be able to slip away quietly while Rose sets off on a whole new adventure. One she didn't need him mucking up.

He was doing this for her after all. Sure, she may be lonely and upset at first but it was for the best.

'_You just leave us behind, is that what you're going to do to me?'_

He shook his head. She'd understand eventually. This was for her.

"Doctor, I'm baackk!" His head shot up as Rose danced into the room.

"Hello!" He greeted warmly, stepping forward to give her a hug. "Did you find everything you wanted?"

"Yeah, we ran into this nice lady called Misté who sold us our dresses and Pete's suit. Then she brought us to the gardens and showed us how everything will work." She dropped her bags on the floor and collapsed into the captain's chair.

"That's good, I'm glad you're making friends."

"Yeah, me too," she smiled, "Everyone is lovely here. I'm glad we came. What are you going to wear tomorrow? It's tradition that guests wear white. Brides wear blue and the grooms wear a darker shade of blue. Do you have a white tux?"

The Doctor sighed, he did have a white tux but he wasn't going to be wearing it.

"Actually, Rose," he said, leaning against the console opposite her, "I'm not going to go to the wedding."

"What?" She asked, standing up and folding her arms. "But it was your idea!"

"I know, but I hate weddings."

"You liked that one we went to on Zorn 12!" He knew that she was upset with him but he was adamant that he wouldn't be going to the wedding. It only meant that he'd have more time to change his mind.

"I know," he agreed, "But that was different. We were trying to bring down their government."

"It's my parents wedding, Doctor!" Rose argued, "It's important to me and I want you to be there with me."

"I'm sorry, Rose," he said, and he was, truly he was, "But I'm not going and that's it."

His hearts broke a little as her eyes filled with tears. She grabbed her bags and stormed out of the console room and to her bedroom. He heard the door slam and slumped to the ground, his head handing between his legs. What was he supposed to do now? The only thing worse than an upset Rose was a Rose upset my something he did.

Usually he would go after her and beg for forgiveness but, for once, he decided to do the opposite and give her space. He left a note by on the TARDIS monitor telling her that he was gone for a walk before slipping from his ship and heading towards the market.

He stopped beside a stall full of intricate jewellery when a simple chain caught his eye. He knew it was terribly domestic of him but he couldn't bring himself to care as he pictured it around Rose's neck. _Something to remember me by_, he thought. Was that fair of him, to want her to have something from him with her? Probably not. He bought it anyway, slipping it into his pocket and thanking the friendly vendor.

He ran into Joli on his way back to the TARDIS.

"Hello, Joli," he greeted with a wave.

"Good afternoon, sir, good to see you again! Your lover is not with you today?" The Doctor's eyes widened.

"Rose and I, we're not... she's not my lover."

"But," Joli looked very confused, "The way you looked at her, sir, it is clear that you feel deeply for her."

The Doctor's eyes darkened. Had he always been so easy to read?

"Yeah, well, it doesn't matter anyway," he said.

"Why not, sir?" Joli asked. The Doctor did not answer him. "Sir?"

"Can I ask you a favour, Joli?"

"Of course, sir,"

"I'm... going away for a while. Rose isn't going to come with me. Would you... make sure she's okay?"

"Will you be coming back, sir?" Again the Doctor didn't answer. Joli seemed to sense that he wasn't going to get anything else out of the Doctor so instead he nodded. "I'll do my best to look after your Rose, sir."

"Thank you, Joli." The alien smiled at the Doctor for a moment before bustling off down the road. The Doctor watched him go before heading back to his ship.

* * *

Rose was in the console room when he got back.

"Hello," he said, strolling up the ramp towards her.

"Hi," she replied, her voice quiet. She was still upset.

"Listen, Rose," the Doctor said to her, "I'm sorry about earlier. I know you want me to be there but I just can't, okay?"

"Are you going to give me a proper reason?" she asked.

"Would you believe me if I said it was too domestic?" Her eyes flashed up to his.

"No."

"Well, then no, I won't give you a proper reason." She sighed and shook her head.

"I got you something in the market," he said, "A peace offering."

She looked up from the grating and smiled.

"Yeah?" He nodded and stuck his hand into his pocket.

"Close your eyes," he commanded and watched as her lids fluttered close. He stepped behind her and draped the delicate chain over her neck, shutting the clasp and letting it hang.

He turned her around by the shoulders and watched as she lifted the little pendant up for inspection.

"A banana?" she asked, her lip quirking up in an effort not to laugh.

"Well, I thought, you know, that it would remind you of me."

"How could I forget you?" she asked, grinning her special Rose grin at him. He hoped she didn't notice that his hearts were hammering when she wrapped her arms around him. He found himself asking the same question as he rested his cheek on the top her of golden head.

He's never felt this way about anybody before, not even his wife. Rose was... an addiction. He needed her to be with him. He didn't know if he could be okay without her and it wasn't something he was looking forward to finding out.

"Don't," he whispered, pulling out of their embrace.

"Don't what?" she asked, confused.

"Don't forget me."

"How could I forget you?" she repeated, "I'm going to be with you forever." The Doctor swallowed, he felt like there was something forcing its way up his throat. He turned his back on her and began to fiddle with the console, flicking switches and twisting dials that didn't need to be touched.

"Yeah," he croaked, "Course you will."

* * *

That night, after a simple dinner in the TARDIS with Rose's parents, the Doctor and Rose went down to the town for a late night stroll. The stars shone down on them as they walked with their fingers entwined down through the empty streets.

They didn't speak and the Doctor was content just to listen to Rose's breath going in and out and in and out. It was hypnotising and he wasn't quite sure why. He found himself noticing a lot of things about her that he hadn't noticed before. Like, for instance, how short her eyelashes were but how they still managed to be perfect. How perfect her hairline was. How soft the skin on the inside of her fingers was.

They came to an eventual stop beside the big meadow where the festival would be held the next morning. The lay down on the soft, green grass and stared up at the purple sky above them.

"It's weird, when you think about it," Rose commented.

"What's weird?"

"That somewhere, somewhen everybody is looking up at the stars."

The Doctor looked at the woman beside him in awe. She was amazing.

"You're amazing, Rose," he whispered, she tilted her head to look at him and they lay gazing at each other for a long time.

"I'm so glad I met you," he told her in a hushed voice sometime later, "I'll never forget you either."

"Sounds awfully like a goodbye, Doctor," Rose commented. He froze for a moment, he knew that she'd never let him leave her. He opened and closed his mouth, probably looking like a fish but unable to form the words to explain to her why he was doing this.

"Doctor," she said, "I was joking."

His eyes widened and he coughed, trying to mask his surprise and relief.

"Yes, yes, I knew that!"

"Come on, you nutter," she laughed, standing up and pulling him up behind her, "I need to get some sleep before the wedding. God only knows what mum's going to be like, a proper bridezilla, I bet."

The Doctor started to panic. The wedding was in less than twelve hours, he didn't want to leave her yet.

"No!" he all but yelled, "No, let's stay." Rose looked at him quizzically and he grinned sheepishly. "I just wanted to look at the stars a little longer. We don't do that often enough, don't you agree? They're very nice, extremely nice if I may say so. And I don't see why I couldn't, it's not like it's against the law to compliment the stars. Not here anyway. On the planet Yonyon it is. You can't even say that they look bright! So, I think we should keep looking at the stars, and complimenting them. You know, in honour of all those on Yonyon who can't."

Shaking her head Rose turned to head back to the TARDIS.

"They'll still be there tomorrow night, Doctor," she threw over her shoulder as she walked away.

"I won't be," he murmured to himself, scuffing his shoe on the grass.

"What?" Rose called back to him as she continued to walk away.

"I said I'm coming!" He replied, jogging to catch up with her and grabbing her hand. He squeezed it tightly, never wanting to let go.

* * *

When they arrived back at the TARDIS, the Doctor followed Rose inside and walked her to her bedroom.

"Do you want to come in?" Rose asked, pushing her door open and stepping inside.

He was tempted, oh how he was tempted but he knew that he couldn't, and that he shouldn't. She was smiling softly at him, waiting to hear his reply. He had stayed with her before after Torchwood but escaped before she woke up, scared at how relaxed she made him feel. For the first time since the War he had no nightmares and it was all thanks to her. It wasn't right how much he had come to depend on her, she needed more in her life than a damaged alien with commitment issues. No, he couldn't stay with her.

"No, Rose, you sleep. I'll be here in the morning," he smiled and leant down to kiss her forehead. She nodded and pressed her face into his chest. He allowed himself to wrap her in his arms once more. _Arms take thy last embrace._ "Goodnight, Rose Tyler." He whispered against her hair before pulling back and shutting the door firmly behind him.

He leant back against the door after he shut it, closing his eyes and exhaling deeply. He couldn't do this. He couldn't leave her. It wasn't the end. It couldn't be. He _needed_ her. She was his Rose. Turning around he flung open the door without a second's hesitation.

What he didn't expect to see was Rose standing in naught but her bra and knickers, clearly in the midst of changing. He froze, his eyes wide as he took in her soft, curvy, _beautiful_ form. He raked them over her form, never had he been faced with so much... Rose. His eyes caught on the scar on her chest and his hearts sank. He'd almost forgotten about it but knew that it was just what he needed to leave her. A stark reminder of how unsafe she was travelling with him.

"Doctor!" she screeched, pulling her duvet up and around her. His eyes snapped up and away from her body, zeroing on her face.

"Sorry," he said quickly, "I just forgot to tell you..."

"What?"

"That I..." he hesitated, "am... going to make breakfast in the morning. Yes, breakfast. Nighty-night!" Without waiting to see her shocked and confused face, he twirled around and marched himself to the library – a safe distance from a much unclothed Rose.

* * *

The next morning the Doctor knocked on Rose's door, bright and early, with a tray stacked with toast, tea and other breakfasty things. He heard a muffled grunt and kicked open the door with a grin on his face.

"Good morning, Starshine," he quoted, setting the tray down beside her bed, "The earth says hello!"

Rose rolled over with a groan, peeking at him through one eye.

"It's too early, Doctor," she moaned, pulling the duvet over her head. The Doctor grinned and sat down beside her, pulling the duvet back to reveal a mess of hair and a scrunched up face.

"It's not that early, Rose," he said, "In fact, you have to meet your mother in two hours." He was glad she had her eyes closed and couldn't see the frown on his face. With another tremendous groan she sat up, stretching her arms out. The Doctor's eyes were drawn to the strip of skin revealed to him as her top lifted up, an image of her near-naked body from last night flared up in his mind. He shook his head, _bad Doctor_.

"What are you shaking your head at?" she asked him, reaching for a piece of toast and a banana.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing," He said, blushing. He reached for a cup of tea and took a deep gulp to hide it.

"Are you sure you don't want to come to the wedding?" Rose asked, her eyes pleading. Under any other circumstance he would cave in immediately but not this time, this time he couldn't.

"Yes, Rose, I'm sure. I'll just tinker here for a while."

"Okay," she sighed, clearly disappointed in him. It was silent for a while as they both ate their food and he tried to think of something he could say that would break the tension between them, he didn't want their last few hours to be spent like this. How was he supposed to know she'd be happy if she wasn't happy when he left?

In the end, he through jam at her. She gaped at him in shock as the raspberry goo trailed down her cheek before landing on her bedclothes.

"Oh, you're so dead," she threatened, scooping up some of the mashed banana from her toast and chucking it at his face. It hit him square in the forehead but, as expected, he didn't frown, he merely scooped it off his face and ate it.

"No point wasting a perfectly good banana."

Rose laughed and threw some more at him. Soon, they were hiding on opposite sides of her bed, throwing various food substances at each other. They were both laughing and completely covered in what was supposed to be their nutritious breakfast but neither cared.

Eventually they collapsed side-by-side on the bed, panting and grinning like loons. When their giggles finally subsided it was Rose who spoke first.

"I should go meet mum," she said, sitting up and wiping a bit of jam from her nose.

"No!" The Doctor yelled before he could stop himself. Rose was watching him curiously and he sighed, "Do you have to go so soon?"

"Once I get this out of my hair, yeah," she replied, motioning to her sticky hair. He ran a hand through his own gloopy hair. He didn't want to go yet. It wasn't enough time. "I'll meet you in the console room after we shower, okay?"

He nodded sadly and got reluctantly to his feet, making his way to the door.

"Doctor?" He heard Rose call and he turned around. She was standing right behind him, less than a foot from him.

He watched, transfixed, as she reached a finger up to trail down his cheek. She pulled her hand away and he saw that it was now covered in jam. The Doctor swallowed hard as Rose lifted the finger to her mouth and sucked away the jam.

"See you in a few," she smiled before dancing off into her en-suite. The Doctor stood staring at the shut door for a long time before heading to his own shower for what he was sure would be a slightly colder shower than he usually took.

* * *

The Doctor sat waiting in the console room for Rose to join him. His hearts were heavy. This was it. The end. He couldn't ever remember being this upset when leaving a companion behind before. That was the thing though; Rose was so much more than a companion. She was his best friend, his Bad Wolf, the one who made him better. He could already feel the cloud of unhappiness getting ready to take up residence over his head.

He heard her footsteps coming and stood up to greet her. She was carrying a bag of clothes for the wedding and it struck him suddenly that he had all of her things. He'd have to leave Pete with some money to buy her some new things. And what about Jackie? He had all of their possessions and he had no way to give them back without raising suspicion. He sighed, Jackie was going to kill him should he ever see them again.

"Last chance," She told him, indicating to the door, "It will be no fun without you."

"Rose Tyler, it's your mother's wedding!" He said, dodging the subject of his attendance, "And Joli will be there, we like Joli, Joli is nice."

"Joli isn't you," Rose said, "But it's okay. I'll see you later, yeah?" The Doctor nodded, and stepped up to her. This was it.

"Not if I see you first," he grinned, wrapping his arms around her. He lifted her off her feet and hugged her as hard as he could. She giggled as her legs flailed out behind her.

He put her down with heavy hearts and stepped back towards the console. He watched as she skipped down to the door, she threw a grin back at him and stepped through the door, shutting it firmly behind her. And, just like that, Rose Tyler was gone.

* * *

Three hours later the Doctor still hadn't left. He paced around the TARDIS console so fast he feared that he might wear a hole in the grating. He needed to see her. That couldn't be it. That wasn't how the story was meant to end. What if she fell on the way to the wedding? How could he know she was happy unless he had evidence?

Grabbing his jacket, which was flung in its usual spot on the strut next to the door, he strode out of the TARDIS and towards the wedding party.

* * *

Rose had flowers in her hair, a thin, elegant tiara made from the planet's equivalent of daisies. Some of the petals had fallen off into her flowing golden hair and made it look like she had flowers twisting through her locks. She was dancing with one of the locals and with every elegant twirl her flowing white dress would fan out and petals would fly from her head, making her look like some sort of goddess, and, to the Doctor, she was.

He watched from the shadows as she danced beneath the twinkling fairy lights, throwing her head back in laughter as the humanoid man she was dancing with dipped her. He took in every minute detail of her existence, the way her lips framed her teeth as she grinned, how her laugh made the whole room warmer, the flush of her cheeks as she moved to the music, the tilt of her hips as they swayed to the beat...

This was the way he wanted to remember her; happy, filled with joy and laughter and music. _She will be happy here_, he convinced himself again and, with one last look at the blonde who had stolen his hearts and claimed them for her own, he turned and headed back towards the TARDIS.

**TBC...**

* * *

**Here's the best thing: I have the next chapter completed! So, if you want to get it soon you better review because **

**1. I worked ever so hard on this chapter.  
****2. If you don't you're going to be waiting for a while ;)  
3. I want to know if you want more chapters of my own invention  
4. I want to know what you think of me changing 'Family of Blood' and 'Human Nature' so that they're in a different place.  
5. I know you want me to be happy.**

**Hope you liked it! Katie x**


	12. Dancing

**I'm sorry, what, 53 reviews? For one chapter? You guys are incredible. That's the most I've ever gotten for one chapter - and I used to write for Twilight! Thank you so much, you really put a smile on my face. **

**Thank you to trialanderror12, Disney-Princess-In-Disguise, tenrosefanno.1, maruman, NewDrWhoFan, CLee02, miriel celeste, satellitealice, Nabakza, Badwolf001, Gwilwillith, , cutiepup3, MissRAB, CruentusMeretrix, xony, Hollyp13, anon, Sunny angel, s., HesMines, Lena86, Moonprincess92, Kittens Love Doctor Who, MaryMatthesen, Sonofafluffymuffin, Taylor Grace, Raven-Dragonlady84, dejadthisvu, Inomonanimalcrackers, star-Rose-01, TorchwoodIsAwesome, JollyRoger1, DoctorWho13, Dreamcatcher49, mamaXunicorn, Blink33Gal, princess addy, Bri The Amazing, Mommybean, Ayjah, Jazz the soldier boi, EdwardLover4eternity, Meegan, Silver Dragon c, willow626, Bad-Wolf-Jen, Ahn-Li Steffraini, A Who Down in Whoville, lozzy035, DoctorWhoIsMyLife. You guys are so awesome, words can't even describe.**

**And here we go...**

* * *

The TARDIS felt colder somehow, the Doctor noticed, as he walked through the doors and into his ship. His plimsolls echoed on the grating with each heavy footstep as he made his way to the console. _Where to now?_ He asked himself. He didn't want to go anywhere. He had always made his decisions with Rose in mind. Now, he had nobody to impress, nobody to show the whole of time and space to. What was the point of travelling without her?

The words 'better with two' made their way through his mind and he sighed. This was going to take some getting used to; being alone - again. It reminded him of that time after the war, and he hated it. Rose had been his salvation after everything that had happened, everything he had done, and everything that he had lost. Now she was gone too.

He made his way to the console before he could change his mind and go back for her. He flicked some switches with heavy hearts and was just beginning to dematerialise the TARDIS when a voice rang out, breaking the eerie silence that had settled in the room.

"And where do you think you're off to?"

"Jackie?" The Doctor asked, surprised. He looked around the room and found her sitting up on the side of the TARDIS wall in the same place she had been when they had gone to Torchwood. It felt like years since then. Had it really been only a few days?

"You were going to leave, weren't you?" she asked as she descended the ladder. Her pale blue dress shimmered in the TARDIS' light. It was more of an accusation than a question.

"I - I was just -" the Doctor stammered, he could feel Jackie's slap already.

"Doctor," she said sternly, reminding him that there was no fooling one Jackie Tyler.

"Yeah, I was,"

"Why?"

"To keep her safe," he replied, looking down at his shoes. He felt ashamed but wasn't sure why. It was the right thing to do, to leave Rose to live her life.

"That's dumb," Jackie told him, crossing her arms disapprovingly.

"What?" The Doctor asked, shocked. "I thought that you of all people, Jackie, would understand. Be happy, even."

"How would you dumping my daughter on some alien planet make me happy? Doctor, she's safer with you than she is with me. I trust you to protect her, to never let any harm come to her, to make _her_ happy."

"But look at what happened with Donna," he argued, "She nearly died three times, Jackie, she nearly died _three times._" He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. The image of Rose dangling over the hole by her ankle burned behind his eyelids. He could still hear her scream ringing in his ears.

"And you saved her every time," she reminded him. He could tell that she was getting annoyed at him.

"But what if one day I can't?" His eyes flashed open.

"What if one day I get struck by lightning?" The Doctor felt like reminding her that there was no lightning on Sorbinia but chose to save himself from getting a slap.

"How did you know that I was going to leave?" he asked instead.

"It was that look in your eye," she said, taking a seat on the captains chair and staring wistfully at him, "You couldn't take your eyes off her, as if you didn't want to miss a thing, as it you were trying to ingrain every minute detail into your head so that you'd never forget her. I know because I've done it myself. I was going to leave Pete," The Doctor cocked his head at her in confusion, "My first Pete," she clarified.

"Rose was only a baby, and we had no money, and I knew that I needed her to have the best life she could possibly have. So, I packed up, wrote a note, strapped Rose to my chest and was about to leave when I saw him drawing at the table, sketching some new invention, I suppose, but I knew then that, if I left, I'd never know what that invention was going to be. I'd never see his look of joy when he explained how '_this was the one'_ or get to comfort him when it all fell apart." She paused for a moment to let the Doctor consider this.

"It's the little things, Doctor, that make you want to stay. Only, you don't realise that you'd be nothing without them until you're faced with the prospect of never seeing them again."

The Doctor's eyes widened at Jackie's confession but he kept silent. He needed time to think. Jackie watched him for a moment or two before she nodded.

"I'm going to go back to the party now," she said, standing up and walking towards the door, "I trust you'll make the right choice."

He watched her leave before collapsing into the captain's chair. A second later the door flung back open and he stood up, watching as Jackie strode towards him. He knew it was coming before it happened. **SLAP!** Jackie's palm collided with his cheek with enough force to make his head spin.

"That's for leaving without saying goodbye," she said. She raised her hand and slapped his other cheek just as hard, "And _that's_ for leaving in the first place." She left without another word and, once the door was shut behind her, the Doctor collapsed back into the chair.

A million thoughts were flying through his head_. When did he stop being the cleverest person in the room?_ He wondered before chuckling,_ the second Jackie Tyler walked into his life._ And she was right; Rose was no safer with on Sorbinia than she was anywhere else. Jeopardy friendly didn't even begin to cover what that girl was.

He knew that, if he stayed, it would only be a matter of time before his carefully erected walls came crashing down around him and he'd be able to resist Rose no more. But did he want to resist her? All of his reasons for keeping his distance seemed silly now. He thought back to that almost-kiss in the TARDIS days previous. It had felt so good to be close to her, perfect even. He wanted more of that. Forever.

But could he be that selfish? Could he take her away from her family just so that he didn't have to be alone? She'd told him that she'd stay with him forever, but could she really have meant it?

Forever with Rose Tyler? He could handle that. Forever with him? That was a different thing entirely.

He sighed, dragging his hands down his face and pulling the skin taut. Could he...love her? He shook his head, _that _particular word was supposed to be locked away in his brain inside the 'never-ever' box, alongside domestic and carpets and Jack. Could he do it though? Give himself to her entirely. Love and be loved?

Would the universe be that kind?

No. He knew the answer to that question. No, the universe would not be that kind. He couldn't be with Rose because someone would take her from him or use her to get to him. He couldn't let that happen, he wouldn't. But that didn't mean he had to leave her behind. He could love her from a distance. He's been doing it for over two years now.

_The little things_, Jackie had said. _It's the little things that make you want to stay_. Little things like how Rose's hand fits his like no other, how her smile can light up a room, how insanely clever she was even without having an extensive education, how her eyes go wide with each new discovery, how she feels wrapped up in his arms, how she always knows just what to say, how without her he can barely breath.

He was suddenly hit by the realisation of how _thick_ he was. Mr. Thick-thick-thickity-thick-face from Thicktown, Thickania didn't even begin to cover it. He was the Mayor of Thicktown, the Emperor, The King, The... Basically, he was being a right sodding idiot.

He was out the door in a flash, striding back towards the party. How could he have been so stupid to think he could go on without her? How could he have run away from an alien without her hand in his? How could he cleverly save the day without Rose to show off to?

When he made it back to the celebrations, he hovered by the edge of the dance floor, trying to locate his Rose amongst the remaining dancers. He couldn't see her anywhere and was starting to panic when he felt a small hand slip into his.

"Decided to make an appearance, then?" Rose asked, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, sorry about before, I just had some things to think through," he replied, smiling down at her. She lifted her head up off him and searched his eyes.

"What sort of things?"

"Stupid, Time Lord things," he replied, giving her hand a squeeze, "Nothing you need to worry about."

"If I don't need to worry about them, how comes you do?" she inquired, quirking her eyebrow. _His Rose Tyler, always asking the right questions_.

"Who said anything about worrying?" he asked her, grinning his special 'Rose grin', "I'm here to party."

Rose snorted and he feigned offence.

"Did you bring your banana?" she asked, her tongue sticking out between her teeth, "You know you should never go to a party without one." He stared at the pink muscle that was bound to be the death of him. If Rose noticed his sudden distraction she paid no attention, instead she grabbed his other hand and dragged him out onto the dance floor, shooting him a grin. He was a fool to think he could ever live without that grin.

It was late now, and many of the newlyweds had retired to their homes with their guests, leaving plenty of space for the Doctor and Rose to dance.

"Reckon you still got the moves?" Rose teased, placing one hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, I've got the moves," he replied, letting one of his hands drift down to settle on her waist, leading her in a slow waltz through the small crowd left on the floor. The music was upbeat, hardly the right music for them to dance in the formal way that they were now. It was backwards, it was strange, it was entirely out of the ordinary, and as the others stopped to watch them dance to a song that only they could hear, the dancing pair knew that nothing was more perfect.

The music changed a moment later, once the DJ realised that nobody was in the mood for the peppy songs he was playing, and was replaced by a slower song which Rose and the Doctor recognised instantly.

"Now for all you newlyweds still here, grab your spouse," The DJ called over his mic, "This is an Earth song that I came across a few years ago, this is 'Your Song' and the last song of the night."

_**It's a little bit funny  
This feeling inside...**_

Finished with their elaborate dancing, the Doctor and Rose slowed to a revolving circle, holding each other's eyes as they turned slowly.

_**I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind,  
That I put down in words how wonderful life is,  
Now you're in the world.**_

Rose finally broke from their intense gaze and laid her head on his chest, shutting her eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck, and breathing in his musty scent.

The Doctor smiled gently as he lay his head atop hers, wrapping his arms around her petite waist. He could see Jackie and Pete dancing slowly near the edge of the floor. His eyes met Jackie's and she smiled warmly at him. He smiled back, hoping that she knew just how grateful he was that she made him come back. He knew he'd never make it up to her.

_**I know it's not much but, it's the best I can do,  
my gift is my song and this one's for you.**_

As he held Rose in his arms, the Doctor couldn't think of anywhere in the universe that he'd rather be. He couldn't tell her, he knew that. If she was going to stay, she could never know. These moments were all they could have, and they were going to have to be enough.

He closed his eyes as they made their final circles to the soft melody of the song. He never knew he could feel like this. After Gallifrey he never thought he could be happy again, let alone be in love. It was maddening and exhilarating and terrifying and perfect all at once.

He couldn't even remember why he ever wanted to leave her, or how he managed to turn his back on her. She was perfect. He needed her, he knew that now, needed her more than he had ever needed someone in his life. And, as the song drifted to a close and he stepped back from his precious human, he knew that nothing was ever going to make him leave her side again.

_**I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind,  
That I put down in words how wonderful life is,  
Now you're in the world.**_

* * *

"Bye, Mum!" Rose called out the door of the TARDIS. The Doctor was already inside, fiddling with the controls whilst she said goodbye to her parents once more, "Bye, Dad! We'll see you soon!" Rose gave them a final wave before shutting the door behind her and turning to face her Doctor. He grinned at her and pulled down the handbrake. The TARDIS rattled and their grins doubled in size.

Rose made her way to his side and clutched at the console. He smiled down at her as they hurtled through the vortex.

They had decided to stay for breakfast after the wedding but by eleven o'clock the Doctor was itching to get going, his need for adventure getting the better of him as he practically dragged her from the hotel restaurant.

Rose had left her mother with a promise of visiting often and the Doctor even hugged Jackie goodbye. Rose decided not to comment on this particularly odd behaviour, the Doctor had been acting weird for a while but he seemed okay now. She knew she'd have to get him to talk eventually but, for now, she was just glad to be with him, ready to face a brand new adventure.

* * *

**I would also like to point out that I wrote this before I found out that William and Kate were having that song played at the Royal Wedding! I hope you liked it - see, I hate angst as much as you do! **

**And that's it folks, sorry it's kind of a sucky ending... hope you liked. :)**


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